Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pig farming threatens both animal and human health. Understanding the connection between welfare practices and antibiotic use helps address both simultaneously.
The connection between pig welfare and antimicrobial stewardship is direct and important. Pigs in high-welfare conditions - adequate space, enrichment, appropriate mixing management - are less susceptible to disease, require fewer antibiotics, and develop less AMR. Pigs in poor welfare conditions require more antibiotic intervention to manage the disease consequences of stress and overcrowding, driving AMR selection. Improving pig welfare is therefore simultaneously a welfare intervention and a One Health intervention: it reduces pig suffering while reducing the AMR threat to human health. This alignment of welfare and public health incentives makes pig welfare improvement a compelling cross-sector investment.