Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Research Priorities Future

Identifying pig welfare research priorities for the coming decade enables funders and scientists to focus on knowledge gaps that will deliver greatest welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Positive welfare indicators for pigs require further development and validation for commercial use
Pre-slaughter welfare research is influencing regulatory change and needs continued investment
AI-based welfare monitoring requires validation against expert assessment and welfare outcomes
Climate change impacts on pig welfare are increasingly important research areas
Global south pig welfare capacity building is a strategic research and training priority

Welfare Considerations

Research investment in pig welfare delivers welfare improvements when priorities are correctly identified. Engaging scientists, welfare organisations, producers, and policymakers in priority-setting ensures research resources flow toward knowledge gaps that matter most.

What You Can Do

Support organisations conducting pig welfare research priority-setting processes
Engage with academic pig welfare research programmes on key priority areas
Advocate for welfare research requirements in government agricultural research funding