Climate change is creating new pig welfare challenges through increased heat stress events, disease range shifts, and extreme weather, requiring proactive adaptation strategies.
Climate change is not a future welfare risk - it is an accelerating present one. Heat stress events already cause significant pig suffering, and predicted temperature increases will extend the high-risk period and geographical range. Adaptation requires building and ventilation design modifications, breed selection for heat tolerance, and operational adjustments including modified feeding and activity schedules. Proactive adaptation planning now prevents much larger welfare costs in the coming decades.