Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Welfare and Antibiotic Reduction

How antibiotic reduction in pig farming aligns with welfare improvement through better management.

Key Facts

UK pig antibiotic use declined by over 50% between 2015 and 2023
Antibiotic reduction requires improved disease prevention and management
Welfare improvements including better housing and enrichment reduce disease burden
The linkage between welfare and antibiotic reduction creates dual incentives for improvement
Critically important antibiotic restriction has driven welfare-positive changes

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic reduction in pig farming requires genuinely improved welfare as prevention, creating aligned incentives where improving animal welfare also protects human public health.

What You Can Do

Support antibiotic stewardship programmes that link to welfare improvement
Advocate for mandatory antibiotic use reporting with welfare data linkage
Choose pork from farms with low antibiotic use and high welfare standards