Farm Animals

Pig Welfare: Positive Human-Animal Relationship

The human-animal relationship on pig farms significantly affects pig welfare, with stockperson behaviour influencing pig fear, stress, and productive outcomes.

Key Facts

Pigs on farms with positive human contact show lower fear responses and reduced stress hormones
Stockperson attitude and behaviour are strong predictors of farm-level welfare outcomes
Training programmes improving human-animal interaction have demonstrated measurable welfare and production improvements
Fear of humans increases pig stress during routine handling, loading, and veterinary procedures

Welfare Considerations

The relationship between pigs and their carers is a neglected but powerful determinant of welfare. Positive interactions reduce chronic fear-based stress, improve handling safety, and create conditions for pigs to express positive behaviours. Investing in stockperson human-animal interaction training pays welfare and economic dividends.

What You Can Do

Support stockperson training programmes that include human-animal interaction skills
Advocate for positive stockpersonship to be assessed in farm welfare audits
Engage with research on the welfare benefits of positive human-animal relationships in livestock systems