Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Farrowing Supervision and Piglet Survival

Active farrowing supervision dramatically reduces piglet crushing mortality and improves welfare outcomes for sow and litter.

Key Facts

Crushing by the sow is responsible for up to 40% of pre-weaning piglet deaths
Most crushing occurs in the first 24-48 hours after farrowing
Supervision allows timely repositioning of piglets at risk of crushing
Night-time farrowing without supervision has significantly higher crushing rates
CCTV and alert systems can extend effective supervision to overnight periods

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing supervision provides direct welfare benefit by reducing the number of piglets crushed and dying from starvation. The investment in supervision infrastructure and staffing directly saves animal lives and reduces suffering on a substantial scale.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards requiring documented farrowing supervision protocols
Advocate for investment in remote monitoring technology to extend overnight supervision
Choose pork from farms demonstrating low pre-weaning mortality rates as a welfare indicator