Livestock Mortality Rate Welfare Indicator

On-farm mortality rates are among the most objective welfare indicators available, with high mortality rates signaling systemic welfare problems that require investigation rather than simply improved treatment of individual casualties.

Key Facts

UK broiler mortality benchmarks of less than 3% distinguish high welfare from problem operations
Dairy cow mortality rates above 5% indicate systemic health management problems
Pig pre-weaning mortality above 12% signals farrowing management welfare problems
Mortality rates are recorded and can be audited objectively unlike behavioral welfare measures
High mortality operations that treat deaths as production costs rather than welfare failures require intervention

Welfare Considerations

Mortality rates crystallize welfare quality into a single auditable number — animals that die from preventable conditions represent the most severe welfare outcome possible. High mortality rates indicate systemic welfare failures that cannot be addressed by treating individual casualties. The welfare case for mortality rate monitoring is that it creates accountability for outcomes rather than just processes, forcing farms to address the underlying welfare problems that cause deaths rather than simply removing dead animals. Low mortality farms demonstrate that high welfare and low mortality are achievable across production systems.

What You Can Do

Support welfare certification schemes that include mortality rate thresholds
Advocate for mandatory mortality rate reporting in farm animal welfare regulations
Choose products from supply chains with transparent mortality rate data
Raise awareness about mortality rates as a key welfare outcome indicator
Donate to farm animal welfare research on mortality rate benchmarks and intervention thresholds