Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Nutrition and Hoof Health

Nutritional factors significantly influence pig hoof health, with biotin supplementation playing a key preventive role.

Key Facts

Biotin deficiency is associated with soft crumbly hoof horn susceptible to cracking
Supplementary biotin at 200-300 micrograms per sow per day improves hoof horn quality
Zinc and copper at appropriate levels support keratin synthesis in hoof horn
Nutritional intervention is most effective as prevention
Wet diets and liquid feeding may affect mineral absorption relevant to hoof health

Welfare Considerations

Hoof health is a critical welfare determinant in pigs, and nutrition is one of the controllable factors. Biotin supplementation is one of the most evidence-based nutritional interventions for preventing welfare-compromising hoof lesions.

What You Can Do

Support pig farms using evidence-based nutritional programs for hoof health
Advocate for hoof health monitoring as a welfare standard in pig certification
Choose pork from farms demonstrating low hoof disease prevalence