Farm Animals

Pig Sow Teat Condition Welfare

Sow teat condition directly affects piglet nutrition and survival, making teat health a critical welfare determinant for both sows and piglets.

Key Facts

Teat number and spacing determines maximum litter size that can be successfully nursed
Teat injuries from piglet teeth and pen flooring affect milk letdown and cause pain in sows
Mastitis in lactating sows reduces milk production and may cause systemic illness
Teat checking at farrowing allows proactive management of teat allocation in large litters
Genetic selection for teat quality and number improves piglet welfare outcomes across herds

Welfare Considerations

Sows with injured or infected teats experience pain during nursing that reduces milk letdown and may cause them to reject piglets. Piglets unable to access functional teats face starvation. Teat health management benefits both sow and piglet welfare.

What You Can Do

Support farms with documented teat health checking protocols at farrowing
Advocate for genetic selection indices that include teat number and quality
Choose pork from farms that employ skilled farrowing personnel to manage teat allocation