Pig Welfare Research Priorities 2026

Research priority setting for pig welfare science ensures that the most impactful questions receive the attention and funding they deserve.

Key Facts

Tail biting root causes and prevention remain a top research priority across EU systems
Alternative farrowing systems achieving welfare benefits for sow and piglet simultaneously are needed
Positive welfare indicators validation for commercial application is a priority
Pain recognition and management in pre-weaning piglets requires more research
Human-pig relationship science needs commercial-scale evaluation to inform training programmes

Welfare Considerations

Research priorities reflect judgements about where additional knowledge would have the greatest welfare impact. Tail biting prevention research addresses a problem affecting millions of pigs annually whose root causes remain incompletely understood. Alternative farrowing system research is needed to demonstrate that the compromise between sow and piglet welfare is achievable at commercial scale. Prioritising these questions over incremental production research reflects welfare science maturity.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare research organisations including the British Pig Association welfare committee
Advocate for welfare research to receive dedicated funding in agricultural research budgets
Engage with priority-setting processes to ensure welfare science reflects practitioner and advocate needs