Farm Animals

Pig Colostrum Management and Immunity Welfare

Colostrum management in neonatal piglets is a critical welfare intervention that determines immune competence and disease resistance throughout life.

Key Facts

Piglets are born with no circulating immunoglobulins and depend entirely on colostrum for immunity
Gut closure occurs rapidly after birth, limiting immunoglobulin absorption within 12-16 hours
High-producing sows may have insufficient colostrum for large litters
Colostrum banking from early-farrowing sows supplements inadequate maternal colostrum
Inadequate colostrum intake is associated with higher preweaning mortality and morbidity

Welfare Considerations

Colostrum intake determines immune competence for the first weeks of life. Piglets that miss adequate colostrum face a compromised start - higher disease susceptibility, slower growth, and welfare costs from illness. Active management ensuring every piglet, including the smallest, receives adequate colostrum is a high-impact welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support farms with active colostrum management and banking protocols
Advocate for farrowing supervision standards requiring colostrum management
Choose pork from certified farms with comprehensive neonatal welfare protocols