Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Lameness Economic and Welfare Link

Pig lameness causes economic losses that motivate producers to invest in prevention, aligning commercial and welfare interests.

Key Facts

Lame sows are culled 2-3 months earlier than sound contemporaries on average
Each lame sow episode costs approximately 60-150 euros in treatment and production loss
Adequate floor surfaces including slat widths and cover materials reduce lameness risk
Routine hoof trimming programmes reduce lameness prevalence in breeding herds

Welfare Considerations

Sow lameness causes chronic pain and premature culling. The economic cost of lameness motivates commercial producers to prevent it even without welfare regulation. Communicating the economic case for lameness prevention alongside the welfare imperative achieves faster uptake.

What You Can Do

Support pig veterinary programmes that include lameness economic modelling for producers
Advocate for routine hoof trimming as a welfare standard in sow management schemes
Choose pork from farms participating in sow health monitoring and lameness prevention programmes