Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Pain Assessment Progress in Farm Settings

Advances in pain assessment tools for pigs are enabling more evidence-based pain management in commercial farm settings.

Key Facts

The Pig Grimace Scale (PGS) provides a validated facial-based pain assessment tool
Behavioural pain indicators including back arching and reluctance to move aid assessment
Commercial deployment of these tools requires training stockpeople in assessment methodology
Pain assessment apps and digital tools are being developed to support farm-based scoring
Integration of pain assessment into routine herd monitoring is the next adoption challenge

Welfare Considerations

Pain assessment tools for pigs have advanced significantly but translation into routine farm practice remains limited. Systematic pain monitoring as part of welfare assessment programmes transforms the ability to identify and respond to pain across pig populations.

What You Can Do

Support development and distribution of training resources for pig pain assessment tools
Advocate for pain assessment training as a requirement in stockperson certification
Engage with welfare technology organisations developing practical farm pain assessment solutions