Livestock

Managing Aggression in Pigs: Welfare Science

How pig aggression affects welfare and what management changes reduce harm.

Key Facts

Pigs establish dominance hierarchies through aggressive encounters
Mixing unfamiliar pigs triggers intense fighting and injury
Tail biting is an escalating form of redirected aggression
Enrichment, space, and stable groups significantly reduce aggression

Welfare Considerations

Pig aggression is a major welfare challenge in commercial systems. Welfare-focused management avoids unnecessary mixing, provides rooting materials that reduce redirected aggression, and maintains stable social groups. Farrowing pen design, weaning age, and mixing protocols all affect long-term social behaviour and welfare.

What You Can Do

Support farms using stable group management to reduce pig mixing
Advocate for enriched housing that allows natural rooting and exploration
Choose higher-welfare pork certified by recognised welfare schemes