Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Pig: Nutrition and Hoof Health

Nutritional factors including biotin, zinc, and amino acid balance influence hoof integrity in pigs, with deficiencies contributing to lameness.

Key Facts

Biotin supplementation has been shown to improve hoof horn quality in breeding sows
Zinc deficiency causes parakeratosis affecting hoof wall integrity and skin health
Balanced amino acid nutrition supports horn protein synthesis and hoof growth
Over-conditioning in late gestation increases lameness risk in sows by reducing leg strength relative to weight
Nutritional management is one of several factors influencing sow lameness rates

Welfare Considerations

Hoof health problems cause chronic pain that impairs mobility, access to food and water, and social interaction. Nutritional deficiencies that impair hoof integrity are a preventable welfare harm. Targeted supplementation of known deficient diets and optimisation of macro and micronutrient balance reduces the incidence of nutritional hoof disease across the herd.

What You Can Do

Review current supplementation against recommendations for key hoof health nutrients
Work with your nutritionist to optimise amino acid and micronutrient balance
Monitor sow lameness rates as a welfare indicator of nutritional and housing adequacy
Include biotin supplementation in breeding sow diets where lameness is a recurring problem
Connect nutritional management to lameness records to identify nutritional contributors