Sow reproductive welfare involves the full gestation cycle including the welfare implications of high reproductive rates, nutritional management, and the cumulative effects of multiple pregnancies on sow longevity.
Sow reproductive welfare reflects the cumulative impact of multiple pregnancies and lactations on the body condition and health of individual animals. The metabolic demands of gestation and lactation - particularly in hyperprolific lines producing 14-16 piglets per litter - create body condition losses during lactation that cannot always be fully recovered during gestation. Over successive parities, body condition deteriorates progressively, increasing vulnerability to lameness, reproductive failure, and other health problems. Commercial culling decisions are driven by production metrics, and sows are culled when they fail to conceive or produce adequately rather than when welfare reaches a defined threshold. End-of-life welfare in culled sows is a significant concern: surveys of culled sow transport reveal high rates of lameness and poor body condition suggesting welfare compromise before culling decisions are made.