Pig Air Quality and Respiratory Disease Welfare

Poor air quality in intensive pig housing causes chronic respiratory disease affecting millions of pigs, representing a significant and preventable welfare problem.

Key Facts

Ammonia levels in intensive pig buildings can reach many times health threshold limits for people
Hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter are additional airborne hazards in pig sheds
Enzootic pneumonia (caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae) is nearly universal in intensive pig systems
Respiratory disease in pigs causes chronic pain, reduced growth and increased mortality
Ventilation systems are critical but energy-intensive - cost pressures often compromise air quality
Air scrubbers reduce ammonia emissions but are expensive to install and maintain

Welfare Considerations

Air quality in intensive pig housing is a chronic, systemic welfare problem. High ammonia levels cause nasal irritation, respiratory inflammation and eye damage. Enzootic pneumonia causes persistent cough and breathing difficulty in affected animals. The welfare cost across millions of pigs kept in poor air quality conditions is enormous. Improving ventilation, reducing stocking density, using deep litter bedding and implementing effective disease control programmes all improve air quality and respiratory welfare. Outdoor and free-range systems generally provide far better air quality.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare standards that include air quality monitoring and ventilation requirements
Choose outdoor-reared or higher-welfare pork where ammonia levels are not a concern
Advocate for stricter indoor air quality standards in intensive pig farming regulations
Support veterinary programmes monitoring and managing respiratory disease in pig herds
Donate to organisations researching better pig housing design for air quality improvement