Evidence-based information about pig weaner management: post-weaning growth and welfare for animal welfare improvement.
Weaning causes simultaneous stresses of maternal separation, diet change, and social mixing. Piglets that fail to eat adequately in the first week post-weaning suffer hypoglycaemia, immunosuppression, and poor gut development that compromises welfare throughout the production cycle. Active management of the weaning transition - with high-quality, palatable starter feeds and adequate feeding space - is a direct welfare intervention.