Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Group Housing Aggression Research

Research into group housing aggression in pigs has identified key risk factors and management interventions that reduce welfare harm.

Key Facts

Aggression is most severe when unfamiliar pigs are mixed at weaning, regrouping, or mating
Mounting frequency and fight duration are key indicators of social instability
Space, enrichment, and feeding system design all interact with aggression outcomes
Electronic sow feeding systems allow individual feeding in group housed sows
Research from SRUC and Teagasc has identified evidence-based mixing protocols

Welfare Considerations

Group housing aggression is a major welfare challenge that cannot be eliminated but can be significantly reduced through evidence-based management. Applying research findings on mixing timing, space provision, enrichment, and feeding design reduces injury rates and stress in group-housed pigs.

What You Can Do

Support application of pig aggression research in welfare standard development
Advocate for evidence-based mixing and housing guidelines in pig welfare codes
Choose pork from farms demonstrating application of research-based welfare improvements