Welfare Science

Pig Welfare and Impact Measurement

Measuring the impact of pig welfare interventions enables evidence-based resource allocation and demonstrates the value of welfare investment.

Key Facts

Impact measurement in animal welfare requires standardised welfare outcome metrics
Cost-effectiveness analysis compares welfare gains per unit of investment across interventions
Natural experiments from policy changes provide impact data impossible from controlled trials
Attribution of welfare change to specific interventions requires careful study design
Impact measurement evidence is growing but remains limited relative to other sectors

Welfare Considerations

Without impact measurement, welfare investment decisions are made on intuition rather than evidence. Demonstrating that specific interventions produce measurable welfare improvements in target populations justifies continued investment and guides resource allocation toward highest-impact approaches. The growing evidence base from welfare assessment tools, policy evaluations, and controlled trials is providing the data needed for evidence-based welfare investment.

What You Can Do

Support organisations developing welfare impact measurement methodologies
Advocate for impact evaluation to be built into welfare programme design from the start
Share welfare impact evidence to inform the choices of donors, policymakers, and advocates