Farm Animals

Pig Social Hierarchy and Stability

Stable social hierarchies in pig groups reduce aggression and improve welfare once established, with management practices that maintain group stability being essential for good welfare.

Key Facts

Pigs establish social hierarchies through fighting when first mixed
Once established, hierarchies provide social stability and reduce ongoing aggression
Regrouping pigs disrupts hierarchies causing renewed fighting and welfare costs
Static groups that are not regrouped maintain better welfare than dynamic mixed groups
Electronic feeding systems can reduce competition at feeding points in stable groups

Welfare Considerations

Pig social stability welfare requires minimising unnecessary regrouping and providing adequate space and resources to reduce competition within established groups. The welfare cost of regrouping should be explicitly considered in production system design.

What You Can Do

Advocate for pig welfare standards that minimise unnecessary regrouping
Choose higher welfare pork from farms with stable group management practices
Support research into low-stress pig social management techniques