Farm Animals

Pig Welfare and Welfare and Neonatal Hypothermia

Neonatal hypothermia is a leading cause of piglet mortality, with simple management interventions preventing significant welfare suffering.

Key Facts

Newborn piglets are thermally vulnerable for the first 72 hours of life
Farrowing room temperatures must be maintained at 20-22 degrees C for thermal welfare
Supplementary heat lamps or mats provide localised warmth without overheating the sow
Colostrum intake in the first 12 hours prevents hypothermia through energy and immunity
Wet, draughty conditions cause hypothermia even in warm farrowing rooms

Welfare Considerations

Neonatal hypothermia causes preventable suffering and death. Appropriate thermal management of farrowing environments is an achievable, low-cost welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Advocate for farrowing environment thermal standards in pig welfare certification
Support research on optimal thermal management for neonatal piglet welfare
Choose pork from farms with documented farrowing environment management