Post-weaning diarrhea is a major welfare and economic challenge in pig production, causing significant suffering and mortality in recently weaned piglets.
Post-weaning diarrhea represents acute suffering for affected piglets. The combination of gut pain, dehydration, weakness, and the stress of adjustment to solid food in an unfamiliar environment is severe. Mortality rates in affected litters can be significant. The condition is fundamentally driven by early weaning practices that prioritize sow productivity over piglet welfare. While antibiotic and zinc oxide treatments have controlled the problem, concerns about antimicrobial resistance mean alternative approaches are urgently needed. The welfare solution that addresses root cause rather than symptom is clear: later weaning with better support for the transition.