Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Slaughter Plant Welfare Audit

Independent welfare auditing at pig slaughter plants identifies problems and drives improvement in end-of-life welfare.

Key Facts

Lairage conditions, handling, and stunning quality significantly affect pre-slaughter welfare
CCTV in slaughter plants has been mandatory in England since 2018
Official veterinary presence and third-party audit improve welfare outcome consistency
Effective stunning before slaughter is legally required but quality varies between plants

Welfare Considerations

Slaughter plant welfare failures cause fear, pain, and suffering to pigs in their final hours. Robust independent auditing, CCTV monitoring, and high stunning quality standards protect welfare at a critical and often invisible point in the supply chain.

What You Can Do

Support CCTV monitoring requirements in slaughter plants
Advocate for independent audit access to slaughter plant welfare data
Encourage retailers to require slaughter welfare standards in their supply chains