Farm Animals

Pig Piglet Neonatal Survival Welfare

Neonatal piglet mortality is a major welfare concern, with millions of piglets dying in the first week of life each year.

Key Facts

Neonatal piglet mortality averages 10 to 15 percent in commercial systems
Starvation due to competition at the sow is the leading cause of death
Hypothermia kills many piglets born in cold farrowing conditions
Split-suckling and teat management can improve survival in large litters
Genetic selection for large litter sizes has increased piglet birth weight variation and competition

Welfare Considerations

Piglets dying from starvation experience progressive weakness, hypoglycemia, and hypothermia. Improving farrowing supervision and teat management can prevent many of these deaths.

What You Can Do

Support pork from farms with documented neonatal mortality reduction programs
Advocate for maximum litter size guidelines that balance production with individual piglet welfare
Choose farms that employ farrowing supervisors during peak farrowing periods