Sow welfare science has advanced significantly in the past decade. This guide synthesizes the evidence on sow behavioral needs, pain management, and system design for optimal welfare.
Sow welfare science has fundamentally shifted understanding of what sows experience and need. Individual sow behavioral needs — territorial preferences, social relationships, nest building motivation, and pain responses — are now scientifically well-characterized. Sows show consistent individual personality traits that affect their welfare outcomes in different housing systems. More anxious individuals fare worse in unstable social groups; more confident individuals can establish stable positions even in competitive environments.
Nest building motivation represents one of the most powerful behavioral drives in reproductive biology. Wild sow nest building involves collecting vegetation, digging, and arranging materials in a specific sequence over several hours before farrowing. This behavior sequence is highly stereotyped and driven by strong motivational states — preventing it causes acute frustration and stress that is clearly welfare-relevant. Providing even minimal nest building materials (straw, paper) dramatically reduces pre-farrowing stress indicators.