Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Social Bonds: Disruption and Welfare Science

Pig social bonds have welfare significance that is disrupted by commercial farming practices including mixing and transport.

Key Facts

Pigs form stable social relationships with familiar individuals showing preference for companions
Separation from established companions causes behavioural distress for 24-48 hours
Commercial practices including regrouping and transport repeatedly disrupt established social bonds
Keeping litter-groups together throughout production reduces social disruption across the lifecycle

Welfare Considerations

Pig social bonds are real relationships whose disruption causes measurable distress. Minimising regrouping events and maintaining stable social groups from litter to slaughter reduces the cumulative welfare cost of social disruption across the production cycle.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare schemes requiring social group stability management
Advocate for litter-based production practices that maintain stable social groups
Choose pork from producers demonstrating low mixing and regrouping frequency