Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Welfare Hotspots

Welfare hotspots are specific phases, procedures, or conditions causing disproportionate welfare harm. Identifying and prioritising hotspots guides welfare improvement effort efficiently.

Key Facts

Tail biting outbreaks represent an acute welfare hotspot causing severe injury
Early weaning is a welfare hotspot with high disease and stress incidence
Farrowing is a welfare hotspot for both sows and piglets
Slaughter and transport are welfare hotspots requiring specific management
Identifying hotspots allows targeted intervention with greatest welfare return per effort

Welfare Considerations

Welfare hotspot identification and prioritisation enables efficient deployment of welfare improvement resources. Targeting the moments and conditions causing the most suffering delivers the greatest welfare benefit.

What You Can Do

Support welfare hotspot research that quantifies the burden of different welfare problems
Advocate for welfare certification to address identified hotspots systematically
Learn about pig welfare hotspots and the evidence for their impact
Choose welfare-certified pork from farms with verified hotspot management