Farm Animals

Pig Lameness Management Advanced

Advanced lameness management in pig herds combines scoring tools, targeted treatment, and system-level prevention to reduce welfare burden.

Key Facts

Electronic sow feeders can detect gait changes indicating lameness through altered movement patterns
Individual pig RFID-linked weighing identifies poor-doing animals including lame pigs
Foot bathing with zinc sulfate reduces foot infections in finishing pigs
Lameness scoring training for stockpersons improves detection rates significantly
Genetic selection for leg conformation and foot quality reduces lameness prevalence at herd level

Welfare Considerations

Lame pigs experience chronic pain that limits feeding, social participation, and normal behavior. Advanced detection and treatment systems reduce the duration and severity of lameness-related suffering across pig populations.

What You Can Do

Support farms with documented lameness scoring and treatment protocols
Advocate for lameness prevalence as a mandatory welfare metric in farm assurance schemes
Choose pork from farms with demonstrated genetic selection for leg health