Normal pig gestation lasts approximately 115 days. Understanding gestation physiology and farrowing welfare improves management and outcomes.
Interfering with natural farrowing timing through induction has welfare risks. Induced farrowings before natural readiness produce weaker piglets. Sows prevented from expressing nest-building behaviour show higher stress around farrowing. Providing nesting materials and allowing natural farrowing timing improves both sow and piglet welfare.