Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Genetic Welfare and Breed Selection

How genetic selection affects pig welfare and opportunities to breed for welfare-positive traits.

Key Facts

Modern pig genetics prioritise growth rate and lean meat yield
Litter size selection has outpaced sow capacity, increasing piglet mortality
Genetic selection for temperament can reduce aggression and fear in pigs
Leg conformation genetics affect lameness prevalence significantly
Integrating welfare traits into breeding indices is a growing priority

Welfare Considerations

Genetic selection decisions made today shape the welfare of billions of pigs over decades, making breed selection one of the most consequential long-term welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Support breeding programmes that include welfare traits in selection indices
Advocate for mandatory welfare trait recording in national pig breeding schemes
Encourage genetic companies to publish welfare performance data for their lines