Farm Animal Welfare

Farmed Pig Biosecurity and Disease Prevention

Biosecurity on pig farms prevents disease outbreaks that cause mass suffering and antibiotic overuse.

Key Facts

African swine fever (ASF) has no vaccine and causes 100% mortality in naive pig populations
ASF devastated Asian pig populations in 2018-2020, killing over 100 million pigs
Strict biosecurity - controlled entry, vehicle disinfection, rodent control - prevents most introductions
PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) causes chronic respiratory disease and reproductive failure
Farm health plans with regular veterinary visits identify and mitigate disease risks proactively

Welfare Considerations

Disease outbreaks cause enormous suffering at scale. ASF causes haemorrhagic fever with a prolonged, painful death. PRRS causes chronic respiratory distress and reproductive failure across herds. Biosecurity investment prevents these welfare catastrophes while also reducing antibiotic use and economic loss.

What You Can Do

Support farms with certified biosecurity standards in pork supply chains
Advocate for mandatory farm health plans with disease prevention priorities
Support research into ASF and PRRS vaccines as welfare-critical developments
Raise awareness of biosecurity importance with agricultural contacts