Stockperson ability to recognize pain in pigs is a critical welfare skill that is often undertrained, resulting in delayed treatment and prolonged suffering for affected animals.
Pain recognition training welfare impact is direct and significant: stockpeople who can accurately identify pain in pigs intervene earlier, treat more completely, and prevent progression of welfare harms from acute to chronic states. The evidence base for pig pain indicators is now robust, with validated grimace scales, behavioral checklists, and gait scoring tools available. However, knowledge of these tools does not translate automatically into practice - attitudinal barriers and time pressures affect whether recognition translates into treatment action. Comprehensive stockperson welfare training that addresses both recognition skills and the attitudinal context of pain response is the most impactful investment a pig-producing enterprise can make in animal welfare outcomes.