Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Neonatal Mortality Prevention Advanced

Neonatal piglet mortality is among the most significant welfare problems in commercial pig production; prevention requires addressing genetics, housing, and management.

Key Facts

Neonatal mortality in commercial pig production averages 12-15% in the UK
Starvation, crushing by the sow, and chilling are the three main causes
Free-farrowing pens allow sow to build nest and reduce crushing risk compared to farrowing crates
Hypothermia prevention through heat lamps, warming mats, and good farrowing supervision is effective
Genetic selection for improved maternal behaviour and teat number addresses root causes

Welfare Considerations

Neonatal mortality represents the death of millions of sentient animals annually; combining housing improvements, genetic selection, and good supervision reduces this welfare burden substantially.

What You Can Do

Support free-farrowing systems that reduce crushing risk
Advocate for neonatal mortality as a key welfare outcome indicator in pig certification
Support research into genetic selection for improved maternal behaviour in sows