Sow body condition through successive reproductive cycles significantly affects welfare and longevity. Managing body condition score prevents the chronic energy deficit that compromises sow welfare.
Sow body condition management sits at the intersection of welfare and productivity. A sow that enters each successive pregnancy depleted from previous lactation experiences a downward spiral: reduced immune function, higher disease susceptibility, reduced milk production and compromised piglet welfare. This chronic energy deficit causes real suffering - metabolic stress, hunger during lactation, and physical deterioration that ends in premature culling. The welfare case for adequate lactation feeding aligns directly with the production case: sows that maintain body condition through lactation have better subsequent reproductive performance and longer productive lives.