Pig welfare

On farms, pigs can be housed and raised in indoor or outdoor systems. Both can provide pigs with good living conditions, but some farming methods ignore their welfare needs. Here we take a look at pigs’ natural behaviours, pig farming methods, our main welfare concerns, and how we’re working to improve how they’re looked after.

Understanding pig behaviour

Pigs are fascinating creatures with important behavioural and physical needs. They’re inquisitive animals and have complex needs that should be met by their environment on a farm. Here are some interesting facts about pigs

Pigs are highly intelligent, inquisitive, adaptable, social animals who learn quickly. In many learning tests they out-perform dogs!
Pigs forage for food. Given the opportunity, they eat a wide range of vegetables and animal products, including carrion (dead animals).
Pigs mainly use their smell and hearing to explore their environment, relying less on eyesight.
Pigs are expressive animals and can produce a wide range of different calls/vocalisations.
Their tails can tell you about their mood. Happy pigs often have curly tails whereas stressed pigs may tuck their tails between their legs.
In cold weather pigs tend to huddle to keep warm and rely on their fat for insulation. In warm weather they wallow in water and mud to keep cool.
Pigs are sensitive to extremes of climate as they have no sweat glands (except for on the tip of their snout) and no thick hair cover.
Pigs prefer to live in stable families or small groups. They can be aggressive to each other if unfamiliar animals are mixed in. Boars are often solitary.
Pigs are clean animals. If they're given appropriate housing, they’ll use a particular area as a toilet, keeping their lying/sleeping area clean.
Shortly before giving birth sows develop a strong desire to build a nest from materials like straw and twigs.

Farming pigs

Approximately 11 million pigs are slaughtered in the UK each year. Read on for an explanation of the three main stages in pig production.

Breeding/pregnancy

During pregnancy sows and gilts (a female pig who has not yet given birth) might be kept in the following systems.

Indoor group housing – sows have more freedom to move and socialise. Suitable management and facilities are required to reduce any aggression which can be expected when mixing groups of unfamiliar pigs.

Outdoor systems – sows are kept in groups outdoors, with large, bedded huts for shelter. They have more space and can explore and forage. Ensuring sow welfare can be a challenge, depending on the weather and the type of land.

Indoor sow stalls – these aren't common as there are legal restrictions on their use in the EU and they've been banned in the UK since 1999. These are individual stalls that stop sows from turning around, allowing only limited movement forwards and backwards.

Farrowing/suckling

When sows are almost ready to give birth (which is known as ‘farrowing’) they are typically moved into one of the systems outlined below up to a week before they're expected to give birth. They remain there until the piglets are weaned at around 28 days.

Indoor farrowing crates – these prevent the sow from turning around and aim to reduce the risk of the sow crushing her newborn piglets. They have a heated 'creep' area to attract the piglets away from the sow when not suckling. Approximately 60 percent of sows in the UK farrow in crates.

Indoor free farrowing pens – some producers use indoor pen systems that don't confine the sow, although they’re not common. These pens allow the sow to move freely and nurse her piglets without confinement.

Outdoor systems – sows are given individual shelters ('arcs') and straw to build a nest. The piglets' movement is restricted for the first one to two weeks by a barrier around the entrance, to keep them in the warm arc. Approximately 40 percent of sows give birth outdoors in the UK.

Growing/finishing

Post-weaning, the piglets will be moved to their growing system, either indoors or outside. Most pigs are moved into indoor accommodation for growing/finishing after weaning. Only four percent of growing pigs will spend their entire lives outdoors.

Pig welfare issues

Here are some of the key reasons why we're worried about the welfare of pigs.

Farrowing crates

These crates prevent the sow from turning around for up to five weeks around the time of farrowing. Due to confinement and a lack of bedding material, the sow can't build a nest, which is one of her natural behaviours.

Tail docking

This involves removing part of the pig's tail, without pain relief, in order to reduce the risk of tail biting in older pigs. Tail biting is often carried out by pigs who may be experiencing physical or mental stress. The pigs who are tail bitten experience pain and it can lead to serious injury.

Teeth reduction

This is where the sharp ends of the needle teeth are removed on some piglets to reduce damage to other piglets and to the sows' teats during suckling. The procedure can lead to pain and discomfort for the piglets.

Nose ringing

Outdoor sows may have their noses ringed to try to reduce rooting of the ground (digging or disturbing it with their snout). The rooting can lead to an increase in the death rates of piglets due to ‘chilling’ from draughts caused by their arcs being placed on uneven ground. The pig finds the insertion of the ring painful and the handling stressful. Nose rings work by causing discomfort and pain to the sow as she goes to root with her snout, causing her to stop.

Fully slatted floors

Many pigs in the UK only have slatted floors to lie on and are kept in environments with little to do. Pigs are intelligent animals and not giving them things to interact with, such as straw or other suitable materials to root around in and express their natural behaviour, can lead to boredom. Bored pigs can become stressed and may start tail-biting which is very painful.

Improving pig welfare

We're working to improve the welfare of pigs at all stages of their lives. Here are some of the things we're doing.

Developing welfare standards for pigs

We encourage pig producers to adopt our welfare standards for pigs, which we've developed to ensure higher standards of welfare at all stages of the pigs' lives. Here are some examples.

Bedding – all pigs must be provided with bedding and environmental enrichment, either straw or another similar, suitable material.
Solid floors – pigs must have a solid floor for their lying area. Fully slatted, bare floors are not allowed.
More space – pigs must be provided with space that is greater than the legal requirement and allows them to move around freely.
No farrowing crates – we don't permit farrowing crates. No equipment must be used that has the potential to confine the sow for farrowing.
No teeth clipping, nose ringing and tail docking – these aren't allowed except in exceptional circumstances. Even then, the herd vet and farmer must write to the RSPCA, setting out what other measures have been taken to avoid carrying out these practices. Certain other standards must also be met before permission will be granted.
No castration – surgical castration is prohibited.

Working with governments and industry

Our scientific staff represent us on a number of government and industry committees, including the Pig Health and Welfare Council.

Pig welfare research projects

Research into pig welfare helps us develop our welfare standards and wider policy around the wellbeing of pigs and other animals. We've been involved in a number of pig welfare research projects (by providing funding and/or as members of the project steering group), including on: