Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Welfare and Nutritional Standards

How nutritional standards and feed quality affect pig welfare and the importance of species-appropriate nutrition.

Key Facts

Nutritional deficiencies cause welfare problems including lameness, skin disease, and immune failure
Lysine and threonine requirements vary significantly across pig life stages
Mycotoxin contamination of feed causes severe welfare and reproductive impacts
Water quality and access are critical welfare components often overlooked
Electrolyte balance affects heat stress vulnerability in warm climate systems

Welfare Considerations

Species-appropriate nutrition is a foundation of pig welfare, and deficiencies or contamination can cause widespread suffering that is not immediately visible in pen-level observation.

What You Can Do

Support nutrient content requirements in pig welfare assurance standards
Advocate for mycotoxin testing requirements in pig feed supply chains
Encourage farmers to monitor water access and quality as welfare indicators