Farm Animal Welfare

Farm Pig: Good Stockmanship and Welfare Culture

Good stockmanship is the single most important welfare factor on a pig unit, encompassing observation skills, knowledge, and genuine concern for animal welfare.

Key Facts

Stockmanship encompasses animal observation skills, technical knowledge, and animal welfare attitude
Research shows stockperson attitude toward pigs is a better predictor of welfare than housing type
A good stockperson identifies welfare problems before they become severe through attentive observation
Animal welfare training courses improve stockperson knowledge and attitude measurably
Workplace culture that values welfare produces better welfare outcomes than rules alone

Welfare Considerations

Good stockmanship is not simply skill - it is a combination of knowledge, attention, and genuine care for animal welfare. Units with skilled, attentive stockpeople achieve better welfare outcomes across all measured indicators than units with better housing but indifferent stockpeople. Investment in stockperson training and creating a workplace culture that values welfare is the highest-return welfare intervention available.

What You Can Do

Invest in regular welfare training for all staff who work with pigs
Create a workplace culture that explicitly values and rewards welfare attention
Ensure adequate staffing ratios that allow thorough twice-daily observation
Recognise and celebrate good welfare outcomes as stockperson achievement
Include welfare attitudes alongside skills in staff selection and development