Farm Animal Welfare

Farmed Pig Respiratory Disease Welfare

Enzootic pneumonia and other respiratory diseases are major welfare problems in pigs - prevention through vaccination, ventilation, and management reduces suffering.

Key Facts

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes enzootic pneumonia in 70-80% of commercial herds
Clinical signs including cough and respiratory distress indicate significant welfare compromise
PRRS virus exacerbates pneumonia and causes reproductive failure in sows
Vaccination programmes significantly reduce clinical severity and welfare impact
All-in all-out management with thorough cleaning reduces pathogen pressure between batches

Welfare Considerations

Respiratory disease causes real suffering through breathing difficulty, fever, and reduced feed intake. The scale of enzootic respiratory disease in pig farming makes prevention a major welfare priority - vaccination and management reduce suffering for enormous numbers of animals.

What You Can Do

Advocate for respiratory disease monitoring as a mandatory welfare indicator
Support research into improved vaccines and management strategies for pig respiratory disease
Engage with producers about all-in all-out management and ventilation standards