Welfare Science

Farmed Pig Welfare and Public Health

Connections between pig welfare and public health through antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease create shared imperatives for welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Farms with better welfare conditions use significantly less antibiotic
Reduced antibiotic use on farms slows development of antibiotic resistance affecting humans
Disease outbreaks on farms can create zoonotic spillover risks
Biosecurity that protects pig health also reduces human exposure to pig pathogens
High welfare pig farming is part of a One Health approach benefiting both animals and humans

Welfare Considerations

The connection between pig welfare and human health through antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic disease creates a public health imperative aligned with animal welfare goals. Improving pig welfare reduces antibiotic use, which protects the efficacy of antibiotics essential for human medicine. The One Health framework connects these shared interests.

What You Can Do

Support antimicrobial stewardship programmes in pig farming
Advocate for antibiotic use reduction targets linked to welfare improvement
Choose pork from farms with documented low antibiotic use