Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Pig: Artificial Lighting and Welfare

Lighting management in pig housing affects behaviour, health, and welfare through effects on circadian rhythm, activity, and reproductive performance.

Key Facts

Pigs require a minimum light intensity of 40 lux for 8 hours per day under UK welfare codes
Adequate light allows normal social behaviour, exploration, and identification of enrichment
Continuous darkness is associated with increased aggression and reduced activity
Natural lighting through skylights provides more appropriate light quality than fluorescent alone
Sow reproductive performance is linked to daylength through photoperiodic effects on hormones

Welfare Considerations

Adequate lighting is a basic welfare requirement for pigs - it enables them to see and respond to their environment, including social companions, enrichment, and food. Chronic inadequate lighting impairs welfare through inability to see clearly and disrupts natural circadian rhythms. The minimum 40-lux, 8-hour requirement is a welfare floor that should be consistently met and exceeded where possible.

What You Can Do

Check and maintain light intensity at recommended levels throughout pig housing
Provide a consistent light-dark cycle of at least 8 hours light per day
Install skylights or natural light provision to improve light quality in existing buildings
Include lighting levels in routine welfare assessment
Review lighting systems in older housing as bulbs age and output decreases