Pig Welfare Assessment on Farm | Animal Welfare Hub

On-farm welfare assessment using validated outcome-based measures provides objective data on pig welfare that goes beyond input-based inspection.

Key Facts

Welfare Quality protocol assesses pig welfare through over 30 outcome measures across four principles
Outcome measures including skin lesions, lameness, and behavioral indicators are more meaningful than input checks
Trained assessors achieve high inter-rater reliability using standardized welfare assessment tools
Farmer self-assessment using simplified tools can be a precursor to third-party assessment
Aggregate welfare assessment scores enable comparison between farms and tracking of improvement over time

Welfare Considerations

Welfare assessment is the foundation of welfare improvement - you cannot improve what you do not measure. Outcome-based assessment reflecting actual animal experience is more meaningful than checklist compliance.

What You Can Do

Support pig certification schemes using outcome-based welfare assessment
Advocate for welfare outcome measurement as the primary basis for pig welfare auditing
Choose pork from farms participating in transparent welfare assessment programs