Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare in Intensive vs Extensive Systems

Comparing welfare across intensive and extensive pig production systems reveals complex tradeoffs requiring system-specific assessment and improvement.

Key Facts

Outdoor pigs show lower fear scores but face higher parasite burdens than indoor counterparts
Intensive systems can achieve high welfare when enrichment and management are excellent
Extensive systems may deliver worse welfare than intensive if management is poor
System type is a weaker predictor of welfare outcomes than management quality within system
Hybrid systems capturing benefits of both intensive and extensive approaches are emerging

Welfare Considerations

Pig welfare is not determined primarily by system type (intensive vs extensive) but by management quality within any system. Evidence-based assessment that evaluates actual welfare outcomes rather than production system labels drives genuine improvement.

What You Can Do

Engage with welfare evidence when making system-based purchasing decisions
Support welfare certification schemes that assess outcomes rather than just production systems
Advocate for welfare measurement that enables fair comparison across production system types