Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Welfare: One Health and Zoonotic Disease Prevention

Pig welfare improvement reduces zoonotic disease risk through stress reduction, biosecurity, and antibiotic stewardship.

Key Facts

High welfare systems have lower disease incidence, reducing antibiotic use and AMR risk
Stressed pigs shed pathogens at higher rates, increasing zoonotic transmission potential
Good stockperson hygiene and farm biosecurity reduces both pig and human disease risk
Influenza A viruses from pigs have pandemic potential - welfare that reduces disease emergence matters globally

Welfare Considerations

Pig welfare improvement is a public health investment as well as an animal welfare priority. Reduced antibiotic use in high welfare systems slows AMR development. Stress reduction that reduces pathogen shedding reduces zoonotic exposure for farm workers. These One Health connections make pig welfare advocacy more broadly compelling.

What You Can Do

Connect pig welfare advocacy with One Health and AMR reduction messaging
Support farm welfare programmes that include antibiotic stewardship as a component
Advocate for pig welfare legislation as a combined animal and public health priority