Training farm staff to recognize and respond to pain in pigs throughout production.
Pig pain recognition on farm represents the first-line welfare intervention that enables all downstream treatment and management responses. Pigs' prey animal tendency to suppress pain behaviors means that overt signs often appear only when pain is severe, making training in subtle indicator recognition critically important. The validated grimace scale and postural indicators provide farm staff with evidence-based tools for more consistent pain identification than experienced-eye alone. The welfare benefit of earlier pain recognition translates directly into earlier treatment, shorter suffering duration, and better recovery outcomes. Casualty protocols that specify checking intervals and pain assessment requirements create accountability structures that prevent animals from suffering through undetected painful conditions.