Selective breeding for ever-larger litter sizes has outpaced sow lactation capacity, creating chronic welfare problems for the most vulnerable piglets.
The welfare crisis of excessive litter size is structurally created by breeding decisions that prioritised output without considering consequences. When litters consistently exceed sow teat capacity, the smallest piglets — those born last and with least strength to compete — face chilling, starvation, and crushing. Their mortality is not accidental but predictable. The industry response — cross-fostering, split-suckling, and nurse sows — manages but does not resolve a problem created at the breeding stage. Moderating litter size toward biological capacity, and breeding for functional teat numbers alongside litter size, represents the welfare-honest approach. Certifying litter size limits in welfare schemes is an emerging but important lever.