Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Pain Management Advances

Advances in pain management for farm pigs are improving welfare outcomes across routine procedures and disease conditions.

Key Facts

Meloxicam is the most widely used NSAID for pig pain and is licensed in most countries
Local anaesthetics including lidocaine are increasingly used for castration and tail docking
Multimodal pain management combining local and systemic agents provides better coverage
Pain duration following common procedures is now well-characterized through validated scales
Attitudes among pig producers toward pain management are improving with training and evidence

Welfare Considerations

Pain management advances are changing what is possible for pig welfare on commercial farms. The tools exist; the challenge is changing the culture and systems that determine whether those tools are consistently applied.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare certification schemes requiring pain management protocols
Advocate for pain management training as a component of pig stockperson licensing
Choose pork from farms with documented pain management standards