Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Gestation Sow Longevity and Welfare

Sow longevity reflects cumulative welfare quality throughout the breeding career, with premature culling indicating welfare failures.

Key Facts

Average UK sow lifetime is 3-4 parities, significantly below the 8+ parity biological potential
Lameness, reproductive failure and body condition loss are the primary culling reasons
Improved welfare throughout the breeding cycle extends productive life and reduces premature culling
High culling rates indicate systemic welfare problems in breeding herds
Sow longevity is a welfare indicator increasingly included in herd management benchmarking

Welfare Considerations

Premature sow culling reflects welfare failures across the breeding cycle. Sow welfare programmes that maintain body condition, prevent lameness and support reproductive health extend both productive life and welfare quality simultaneously.

What You Can Do

Advocate for sow longevity as a welfare indicator in breeding herd certification
Support welfare monitoring systems tracking culling rates and reasons as welfare benchmarks
Choose pork from farms with documented sow welfare programmes reducing premature culling