Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Respiratory Disease and Welfare

Respiratory disease is one of the leading causes of welfare compromise and production loss in commercial pig farming.

Key Facts

Enzootic pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae affects most pig herds
PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) virus causes severe systemic illness
Poor ventilation significantly increases respiratory disease risk
Stocking density, stress, and nutrition all affect immune resistance
Vaccination, biosecurity, and ventilation management are the primary preventive tools

Welfare Considerations

Respiratory disease in pigs causes significant suffering through fever, difficulty breathing, coughing, and secondary complications. Prevention through biosecurity and vaccination is far more welfare-positive than repeated treatment of established disease. Good ventilation design is one of the most cost-effective welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare auditing that includes respiratory disease monitoring
Advocate for ventilation standards in pig housing regulations
Choose pork from farms with documented herd health management programmes