Welfare Science

Pig Welfare and Antibiotic Resistance

Reducing antibiotic use in pig farming through welfare improvements is both a welfare and public health priority.

Key Facts

Prophylactic antibiotic use in pig farming is associated with AMR development
Healthy, well-managed pigs with good welfare require fewer antibiotics
Denmark and the Netherlands demonstrate that welfare improvement enables antibiotic reduction
Targeted selective treatment replaces prophylactic whole-group medication
Responsible use guidelines identify when antibiotics are and are not appropriate

Welfare Considerations

Welfare improvement and antibiotic stewardship are complementary goals. Healthy, well-housed pigs with good nutrition and minimal stress are less susceptible to disease requiring antibiotic treatment. Investing in welfare improvements simultaneously reduces antibiotic dependence - a welfare, public health, and production win-win.

What You Can Do

Support farms committed to both welfare improvement and antibiotic reduction
Advocate for mandatory antibiotic use reporting with public transparency
Choose pork from farms with transparent antibiotic stewardship commitments