Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Neonatal Survival and Sow Behavior

Increasing litter sizes in commercial sows have created a welfare crisis with high neonatal piglet mortality and challenges for sow welfare.

Key Facts

Average litter size has increased from 10 to 17+ piglets in hyper-prolific sow lines
Piglets born to large litters have lower birth weight and reduced survival
Sow milk supply often cannot meet the needs of very large litters
Artificial rearing of excess piglets has its own welfare challenges
Non-surgical embryo transfer is being explored to optimize litter size and welfare

Welfare Considerations

Genetic selection for maximum litter size has created a welfare paradox - more piglets are born but more suffer and die. Breeding for welfare-optimized litter sizes and supporting smaller piglets are essential components of responsible pig breeding.

What You Can Do

Advocate for breeding objectives that balance productivity and welfare
Support welfare science research on hyper-prolific pig genetics
Choose pork from farms with good neonatal piglet survival records