The first week of life carries the highest mortality risk for piglets. Welfare-focused management of farrowing and neonatal care dramatically reduces suffering and mortality.
The neonatal period presents the highest density of welfare challenges in pig production. Piglets are born highly altricial — small, cold-sensitive, and entirely dependent on colostrum and maternal heat. The commercial production environment — whether farrowing crate or loose housing — creates specific welfare risks that require active management.
Hypothermia is an immediate welfare threat. Piglets cannot thermoregulate effectively and must access supplemental heat sources. Poorly positioned heat lamps, drafts, and wet bedding all contribute to chilling and impaired colostrum seeking behavior. Chilled piglets are more likely to be crushed because they move slowly and cannot avoid the sow effectively.
Routine procedures including tail docking, teeth clipping, and castration cause significant pain in neonatal piglets. Pain relief is increasingly required under welfare codes and retailer standards, yet compliance remains inconsistent. Administration of NSAIDs before these procedures significantly reduces pain indicators. Where procedures can be eliminated — such as providing sufficient enrichment to prevent tail biting — this is the welfare-optimal approach.