Ammonia produced by pig waste in intensive housing causes respiratory damage, immune suppression, and chronic discomfort that affects millions of pigs globally.
Pigs living in high-ammonia environments experience chronic respiratory irritation that is invisible to visitors but measurable in their tissue at slaughter. Inflammatory lesions in nasal turbinates and lung tissue indicate prolonged exposure to air quality that causes ongoing discomfort and impairs immune function. The relationship between ammonia and respiratory disease creates a cycle: immune-compromised pigs are more susceptible to pneumonia, which requires antibiotic treatment, which contributes to resistance pressure. Ventilation investment that maintains ammonia below welfare thresholds breaks this cycle: better air quality means healthier pigs, fewer treatments, and lower production costs. The barrier is capital investment in ventilation systems that smaller farms struggle to fund.