Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Welfare at Slaughter

Slaughter welfare is a critical end-of-life welfare concern for pigs. The final hours including lairage, handling, and stunning determine the welfare quality of pigs' deaths.

Key Facts

Pre-slaughter handling including lairage mixing causes significant stress in pigs
Electrical stunning when properly applied is rapid but requires careful implementation
CO2 stunning causes aversion and distress during induction, affecting billions of pigs annually
Monitoring at slaughter plants reveals variable compliance with welfare standards
CCTV in slaughter plants has improved monitoring and accountability

Welfare Considerations

Slaughter welfare deserves the same attention as on-farm welfare. The final hours of a pig's life are often among the most stressful, and improvements in handling, stunning, and monitoring can significantly reduce end-of-life suffering.

What You Can Do

Support retailers with strong slaughter welfare requirements
Advocate for mandatory CCTV at all pig slaughter plants
Learn about slaughter welfare and its importance
Support research into more humane stunning alternatives to CO2