Farm Animals

Pig Gastric Ulcer Prevalence Welfare

Gastric ulcers are extremely common in intensively farmed pigs, causing significant pain and welfare compromise across the industry.

Key Facts

Post-mortem studies find ulcers in 30 to 50 percent of slaughter pigs
Pars oesophagea ulcers cause pain, reduced feed intake, and anemia
Finely ground feed diets are strongly associated with higher ulcer prevalence
Straw provision and coarser diets significantly reduce ulcer incidence
Sudden death from hemorrhagic ulcers represents the most severe welfare outcome

Welfare Considerations

Gastric ulcers cause chronic abdominal pain that affects feeding, social behavior, and growth. The high prevalence of this condition represents a major systemic welfare failure in intensive production.

What You Can Do

Support pork from farms using coarser milled feed or whole grain diets
Advocate for routine post-mortem gastric health monitoring in slaughter plants
Choose pork from farms providing straw bedding that reduces ulcer risk