Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Farrowing Night Supervision Science

Scientific evidence supports investing in night-time farrowing supervision to reduce the neonatal mortality that peaks during unsupervised hours.

Key Facts

Approximately 50-60% of farrow events occur between 6pm and 6am
Neonatal piglet deaths from crushing and starvation are significantly higher during unsupervised nights
Electronic alert systems detect active farrowing and notify stockpeople for targeted intervention
Farms with 24-hour supervision achieve 15-20% lower neonatal mortality than daytime-only supervision
Surveillance cameras allow remote monitoring without disturbing the farrowing sow

Welfare Considerations

Night-time neonatal mortality is a largely preventable welfare problem requiring investment in supervision infrastructure. The evidence is clear that supervision saves lives, making this one of the most impactful welfare investments available to pig producers.

What You Can Do

Support pig farms investing in farrowing alert technology
Advocate for supervision standards in pig welfare certification
Choose pork from farms demonstrating low neonatal mortality rates