Accurate pain recognition in pigs is essential for welfare assessment and treatment - validated tools are now available but require training to implement effectively.
Pig pain recognition welfare is critical at the intersection of farm animal welfare science and commercial production. Pigs undergo numerous painful procedures including castration, tail docking, and teeth clipping that have historically been performed without analgesia. Validated pain assessment tools now provide the scientific basis for requiring analgesia during these procedures, shifting the conversation from whether pigs feel pain (established) to how to effectively manage that pain in farm settings. Industry adoption of pain recognition training and mandatory analgesia represents concrete, achievable welfare improvement.