Pig Aggression Management in Intensive Systems

Aggression between pigs causes significant welfare harm including injuries, stress and reduced growth. Managing social conflict is a key challenge in intensive pig production.

Key Facts

Mixing unfamiliar pigs triggers fighting as animals establish dominance hierarchies
Injuries from aggression include bite wounds, lameness and skin lesions
Tail biting is partly driven by redirected aggression and boredom
Mixing at weaning, regrouping and loading are high-risk periods
Space allowance below legal minimums dramatically increases aggression
Enrichment materials reduce redirected aggression significantly

Welfare Considerations

Pig aggression represents one of the most significant welfare challenges in intensive systems. The pain from bite wounds, the psychological stress of repeated fights, and fear responses in subordinate animals all represent genuine suffering. Chronic losers in dominance contests experience elevated cortisol, suppressed immunity, and reduced feed intake. Welfare-focused management seeks to minimise unnecessary mixing, provide adequate space and enrichment, and have clear intervention protocols for injured animals.

What You Can Do

Support producers using single-sow farrowing systems to reduce weaning mixing
Choose pork from farms with enrichment and generous space allowances
Advocate for higher minimum space requirements in welfare legislation
Learn about Better Pig standards and certifications addressing aggression