Farm Animals

Pig Biosecurity and Disease Prevention Welfare

Pig farm biosecurity prevents disease introduction that causes significant welfare harm, and effective protocols balance practical operation with animal protection.

Key Facts

African Swine Fever is a rapidly fatal disease that has devastated pig populations globally
PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) costs UK producers over 80 million annually
Downtime between batches combined with cleaning eliminates most infectious agents
Vehicle disinfection at farm entry is one of the highest-impact biosecurity measures
Wild boar contact with domestic pigs creates significant disease introduction risk

Welfare Considerations

Disease prevention through biosecurity is a primary welfare intervention in pig farming. Conditions that allow epidemic disease transmission cause mass welfare harm. Investment in biosecurity infrastructure and training prevents suffering at farm and regional scale.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards that include biosecurity protocol requirements
Advocate for government support for ASF preparedness in UK pig farming
Choose pork from farms with documented biosecurity programmes
Learn about pig disease threats and the welfare role of biosecurity