Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare During Disease Outbreaks

Infectious disease outbreaks in pig herds create acute welfare crises requiring rapid response, and in some cases mass culling raises significant welfare concerns about methods used.

Key Facts

African swine fever outbreaks have caused mass culling of millions of pigs in Asia and Europe
Mass culling methods used in disease control vary significantly in humaneness
Stamping out policies for notifiable diseases prioritise disease control over individual animal welfare
Welfare during disease outbreaks is frequently compromised by speed and resource constraints
Alternative management strategies can sometimes reduce mass culling requirements

Welfare Considerations

Disease outbreaks create situations where the welfare of large numbers of animals may be compromised by urgent disease control imperatives. Advance planning for humane culling methods and welfare during outbreaks is essential but frequently neglected in disease emergency planning.

What You Can Do

Advocate for inclusion of welfare standards in disease outbreak contingency plans
Support research into alternative disease management approaches that reduce mass culling
Engage with your national veterinary authorities about humane culling method standards