Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Farrowing: Neonatal Hypothermia Prevention

Neonatal piglet hypothermia is a leading cause of pre-weaning mortality. Targeted interventions at farrowing can dramatically reduce losses and associated welfare costs.

Key Facts

Piglets are born with minimal subcutaneous fat and limited thermoregulatory ability
Critical core temperature must be reached within hours of birth to survive
Heat lamp positioning, creep areas and dry bedding are primary preventive measures
Low-birth-weight piglets are especially vulnerable to hypothermia
Colostrum intake within the first six hours provides essential energy for thermogenesis

Welfare Considerations

Hypothermia in newborn piglets is a painful, preventable cause of death. Attentive farrowing supervision and appropriate thermal provision prevent both deaths and prolonged suffering.

What You Can Do

Advocate for farrowing supervision standards in welfare certification
Support research into alternative farrowing systems that allow freedom of movement
Choose welfare-certified pork that audits neonatal piglet care