Farm Animals

Pig Finishing Stage Welfare Monitoring

The finishing stage of pig production presents specific welfare challenges as pigs reach slaughter weight in increasingly crowded conditions.

Key Facts

Finishing pigs grow from 30 kg to 100 to 120 kg over 10 to 14 weeks
As pigs grow, effective space per pig decreases if pen size is not adjusted
Tail biting, respiratory disease, and lameness increase in prevalence during finishing
Dynamic stocking adjustment or early removal of heavy pigs maintains welfare in finishing
Behavioral monitoring during finishing detects problems earlier than mortality records alone

Welfare Considerations

Finishing pigs face increasing welfare pressure as they approach slaughter weight. Proactive monitoring and stocking management during this stage prevents avoidable suffering in the final weeks of production.

What You Can Do

Support pork from farms with documented finishing stage welfare monitoring
Advocate for dynamic stocking standards that maintain adequate space as pigs grow
Choose farms certified by schemes that audit finishing pen welfare independently