Welfare Science

Pig Welfare and Cultivated Meat

Cultivated pork produced directly from pig cells without slaughter represents a potential transformative technology that could dramatically reduce pig welfare problems.

Key Facts

Cultivated meat is produced by growing animal cells in bioreactors without requiring the whole animal
Several companies are developing cultivated pork with improving cost trajectories
A single biopsy from one pig could theoretically produce millions of kilograms of meat
Regulatory approval has been granted in Singapore with others pending
Consumer acceptance and price parity with conventional meat are key adoption barriers

Welfare Considerations

Cultivated meat could eliminate the welfare costs of pig farming by meeting protein demand without keeping billions of pigs in production. The potential welfare impact of widespread cultivated pork adoption would be transformative, making investment in and support for this technology a welfare priority.

What You Can Do

Try cultivated meat products where available to support market development
Support companies developing cultivated pork through purchasing and advocacy
Advocate for regulatory frameworks that enable cultivated meat market entry