Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare Outcomes Measurement Farm

Outcome-based welfare measurement on farms provides more reliable welfare information than input-based inspection of facilities.

Key Facts

Welfare Quality protocols measure animal-based indicators like lesion scores, body condition, and behavior
Outcome measures predict welfare experienced by animals better than facility inspections alone
Tail lesion prevalence is a validated welfare outcome indicator for pigs
Locomotion scoring and body condition assessment are reliable and repeatable welfare outcomes
Regular outcome measurement enables farms to identify problems and track improvement

Welfare Considerations

Welfare improvement requires knowing whether welfare is good or poor in reality rather than whether facilities meet minimum specifications. Animal-based outcome measurement provides this information systematically and reliably.

What You Can Do

Support welfare certification schemes using animal-based outcome measures
Advocate for outcome measurement to replace facility inspection as the primary assessment tool
Learn about Welfare Quality assessment protocols and their application