Pig Farming

Pig Respiratory Disease and Ventilation Welfare

Respiratory disease is a major welfare and production problem in pig farming, closely linked to ventilation system design and air quality management.

Key Facts

Enzootic pneumonia causes chronic coughing and reduced growth in up to 70% of pigs in some herds
Ammonia, dust, and pathogens interact to increase respiratory disease severity
Minimum ventilation rates in cold weather prevent ammonia accumulation
Natural ventilation systems can achieve good air quality with correct building orientation
Air scrubbers reduce both ammonia and pathogen load in intensive systems

Welfare Considerations

Respiratory disease causes chronic discomfort including painful coughing, laboured breathing, and reduced appetite. Pigs with respiratory disease perform poorly and have lower welfare throughout the growing period. Addressing ventilation and air quality is therefore both a welfare and economic priority, with well-designed buildings preventing much respiratory disease.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare certification with air quality and ventilation standards
Choose pork from farms with low respiratory disease prevalence reporting
Advocate for air quality monitoring as a welfare assurance requirement