Rigorous on-farm welfare auditing using validated outcome measures provides the most accurate assessment of pig welfare in commercial production systems.
Welfare auditing using outcome measures provides more accurate welfare assessment than resource-based checks alone. Animals may have good resources but poor welfare if management is poor; conversely, exceptional stockpersonship can produce good welfare in less than ideal facilities. Validated pig welfare protocols identify welfare problems through direct animal observation including lesion scoring, lameness assessment, and behavioural observation. Regular welfare auditing creates accountability, benchmarks improvement, and enables comparison across farms. Continuous monitoring using sensors and cameras extends welfare oversight between auditing visits.