Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Vocalisation and Pain Welfare

Pig vocalisations are a reliable indicator of pain and distress, and training stockpeople to recognise pain calls improves welfare identification.

Key Facts

Pigs produce distinct high-frequency calls in response to acute pain
Chronic pain produces more subtle behavioural changes without acute vocalisation
Automated systems can detect pig distress vocalisations in real time
Stockpeople trained in vocalisation recognition identify welfare events faster
Grimace scales combined with vocalisation observation improve pain detection

Welfare Considerations

Pig vocalisations in response to pain are an accessible welfare indicator that requires no equipment to use. Stockperson training in recognising pain-associated calls enables rapid identification of welfare events and earlier intervention. Automated acoustic monitoring extends this capability continuously and at scale.

What You Can Do

Support stockperson training in pig pain vocalisation recognition
Advocate for acoustic monitoring standards in high-welfare pig systems
Choose pork from farms with documented pain detection and management protocols