Sow longevity in commercial pig farming is alarmingly low, with most breeding sows culled well before their natural lifespan, representing a significant welfare and economic problem.
Sow longevity is both a welfare indicator and a welfare problem in its own right. The fact that the average sow is culled after just 2-3 years - a fraction of her natural lifespan - reflects the accumulation of welfare insults that intensive production imposes on her body. Lameness, reproductive exhaustion, and chronic physiological stress lead to rapid physical deterioration. This is not inevitable: systems with better flooring, reduced stocking density, more generous gestation space, and careful genetic selection for structural soundness achieve significantly better longevity. Improving sow longevity is one of those rare cases where welfare improvement aligns with economic benefit - a healthier sow that remains productive longer costs less per piglet produced. Welfare and profitability point in the same direction.