Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Sow Body Condition

Sow body condition management throughout the reproductive cycle is fundamental to welfare. Maintaining appropriate body condition prevents metabolic disease and supports longevity.

Key Facts

Sows losing excessive body condition in lactation face health and welfare problems
Target BCS at weaning is 2.5-3.0 on a 5-point scale for most systems
Underweight sows at mating have longer WSI and reduced fertility
Overweight sows face increased farrowing difficulty and leg problems
Electronic feeding systems enable individual sow nutrition management in group housing

Welfare Considerations

Sow body condition management is a welfare indicator and intervention. Maintaining appropriate BCS throughout the production cycle prevents the cascading welfare problems of either overcondition or poor condition.

What You Can Do

Support farms with verified BCS monitoring for all sows
Advocate for sow BCS management to be a standard welfare requirement
Learn about sow body condition management and its welfare implications
Choose welfare-certified pork from farms with comprehensive sow welfare programmes