Water Provision and Pig Welfare in Intensive Systems

Adequate access to clean, fresh water is a fundamental animal welfare need in pig production, and failures in water provision cause acute suffering, reduced productivity, and serious health problems.

Key Facts

Adult sows require up to 15-20 litres of water per day; lactating sows even more
Water flow rates in drinkers must be appropriate for the pig's age and size to allow adequate intake
Nipple drinkers require flow rates of at least 700 ml/min for growing pigs and 2 litres/min for sows
Water restriction or inadequate water pressure causes rapid dehydration, reducing feed intake and welfare
Regular drinker function checks are essential, as blocked or malfunctioning drinkers are common on many farms

Welfare Considerations

Water deprivation is acutely painful and distressing. Pigs are unable to communicate thirst vocally in the way humans would recognise, making inadequate water provision easy to overlook. Drinkers that are broken, blocked, or set at incorrect flow rates fail pigs silently but significantly. Lactating sows with inadequate water intake produce insufficient milk, compromising both their welfare and that of their piglets. Simple daily drinker checks and appropriate drinker placement for different classes of stock are among the most impactful welfare interventions available to pig producers.

What You Can Do

Implement daily drinker function checks as a non-negotiable welfare task on all pig farms
Ensure drinker flow rates are appropriate for the class of pig and checked with a measuring jug regularly
Provide sufficient drinker space to prevent competition and ensure subordinate animals can drink freely
Advocate for drinker standards and routine function monitoring in pig farm welfare certification schemes