Meet pig welfare requirements on your farm

Before you keep pigs

Before getting pigs, you must:

1. Get a County Parish Holding (CPH) number from the Rural Payments Agency for the land where you will keep pigs
2. Register as a pig keeper with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to get a herd mark
3. Understand the welfare requirements covered in this guide
4. Have suitable facilities ready before the pigs arrive

You must also read and have access to the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Pigs. While the code is not law itself, failure to follow it can be used as evidence in court proceedings.

The five welfare needs

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 requires you to meet five welfare needs. These form the legal framework for all animal welfare requirements.

1. A suitable environment

Pigs must have:

• Accommodation that allows them to stand up, lie down, and rest without difficulty
• A clean, comfortable, and adequately drained resting place
• The ability to maintain a comfortable temperature
• Protection from adverse weather conditions
• Adequate ventilation without harmful draughts
• Sufficient lighting to allow inspection

2. A suitable diet

Pigs must:

• Be fed at least once a day
• Have continuous access to fresh drinking water (from 2 weeks of age)
• Receive a diet appropriate to their age and condition
• Have access to feed at the same time as others in group housing (unless individually fed)

Feeding restrictions: You cannot feed pigs catering waste from any kitchen (domestic or commercial), including from vegetarian kitchens. Swill feeding is illegal due to disease risk.

3. Ability to exhibit normal behaviour

Pigs must have:

• Permanent access to environmental enrichment materials for rooting and manipulation
• Space to turn around without difficulty at all times
• The ability to see other pigs (except when isolated for veterinary reasons or during farrowing)
• Enough space for all pigs to lie down at the same time

4. Protection from pain, suffering, injury, and disease

You must:

• Inspect all pigs at least once a day
• Provide prompt treatment for sick or injured animals
• Have access to veterinary advice
• Follow biosecurity measures to prevent disease
• Only carry out permitted procedures under strict conditions

5. Housing with or apart from other animals as appropriate

Pigs are social animals and must:

• Be able to see other pigs (with limited exceptions)
• Be kept in stable groups to minimise aggression
• Have measures to prevent severe fighting if group dynamics cause problems

Space requirements and stocking densities

Minimum floor space is a legal requirement. These are absolute minimums - good welfare practice often requires more space.

Weaners and rearing pigs (group housing)

Sows and gilts after service

Boars

• Minimum 6 m² unobstructed floor area
• Minimum 10 m² if used for natural service (must be free of obstacles)
• Must be able to turn around, hear, see, and smell other pigs

Individual pens

If a pig is kept individually (for veterinary reasons or other permitted purposes), the pen must be:

• At least the square of the pig's length in internal area
• No internal side less than 75% of the pig's length
• Pig length is measured from snout tip to tail base while standing with a straight back

Environmental enrichment

Environmental enrichment is a legal requirement, not optional. All pigs must have permanent access to sufficient quantity of materials for proper investigation and manipulation activities.

Acceptable enrichment materials

Materials must allow pigs to express natural rooting and chewing behaviours. Acceptable materials include:

• Straw
• Hay
• Wood (untreated)
• Sawdust
• Mushroom compost
• Peat
• Mixtures of the above

The materials must not adversely affect the health of the animals.

Why enrichment matters

Pigs have a strong natural drive to root and explore. Without appropriate enrichment:

• Pigs may redirect behaviour to pen mates, causing tail biting, ear biting, or flank biting
• Stress levels increase, affecting health and productivity
• Welfare is compromised, which is a legal breach

Practical considerations

• Enrichment must be accessible to all pigs at all times
• Replenish materials regularly to maintain interest
• Consider a mixture of materials for best effect
• Chain or ball toys alone do not meet the legal requirement

Permitted procedures (mutilations)

Routine mutilations are prohibited. Certain procedures are only permitted under strict conditions.

Tail docking

Tail docking is NOT permitted routinely. It may only be carried out where:

1. Measures to improve environmental conditions or management systems have first been taken to prevent tail-biting
2. There is still evidence that injury to pigs' tails by biting has occurred despite these measures

If tail docking is justified:

• Under 7 days old: May be carried out by a trained, competent person (not necessarily a vet)
• 7 days or older: Must be performed by a veterinary surgeon under anaesthetic with prolonged analgesia
• Method must involve quick and complete severance of the tail
• Enough tail must remain to cover the vulva (females) or anus (males)

Tooth reduction

Grinding or clipping of corner teeth is only permitted where:

• Measures to improve environment and management have first been taken
• Evidence shows injury to sows' teats or other pigs' ears or tails has occurred
• Piglets are not more than 7 days old
• The procedure leaves an intact, smooth surface (grinding preferred over clipping)

Castration

• Under 7 days old: May be carried out by a trained, competent person using methods that do not involve tearing of tissues
• 7 days or older: Must be performed by a veterinary surgeon under anaesthetic with prolonged analgesia

Nose ringing

Nose ringing is only permitted for pigs kept outdoors and only where necessary to prevent rooting damage. It is not permitted for pigs kept continuously indoors.

Record keeping for procedures

Keep records of:

• Evidence of tail biting or other injuries justifying the procedure
• Environmental improvements attempted before resorting to the procedure
• Date procedure carried out
• Who performed it
• Any complications

Weaning requirements

There are strict rules on the minimum age for weaning piglets.

Standard weaning age

Piglets must not be weaned from the sow at less than 28 days of age, unless:

• The health and welfare of the sow or piglets would otherwise be adversely affected

Early weaning (21 days)

Piglets may be weaned up to 7 days earlier (from 21 days) if they are moved into specialised housing that:

• Is emptied and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before the new group is introduced
• Is physically separate from housing where sows are kept, to minimise disease transmission

Weaning area requirements for piglets

Where a farrowing crate system is used:

• A part of the floor must be solid or covered with a mat, or littered with suitable material
• This area must be large enough for all piglets to rest together at the same time
• Piglets must have sufficient space to be suckled without difficulty

Housing standards

Indoor housing

Floors:

• Must be smooth but not slippery
• Designed and maintained to prevent injury or suffering
• Suitable for the size and weight of the pigs
• Where no litter is provided, must form a rigid, even, and stable surface

Concrete slatted floors (maximum gap widths):

Lighting:

• A minimum light intensity of 40 lux for at least 8 hours per day
• Adequate lighting available at all times to enable thorough inspection
• Natural light sources such as windows encouraged
• A continuous dark period of rest (without artificial lighting)

Noise:

• Pigs must not be exposed to constant or sudden noise
• Noise levels above 85 dBA must be avoided where pigs are kept

Temperature and ventilation:

• Accommodation must allow pigs to maintain a comfortable temperature
• Adequate ventilation without draughts
• Young piglets require higher temperatures (around 28-32°C in the first week)

Outdoor housing

Pigs kept outdoors must have:

• Access to shelter from adverse weather conditions
• Dry bedding in shelter areas
• Protection from predators
• Access to shade in hot weather
• Protection from sunburn (particularly relevant for white-skinned breeds)

Nose ringing outdoor pigs: Permitted only for outdoor pigs where necessary to prevent damage through rooting. Should be avoided if possible.

Prohibited systems

• The "sweat-box" system (high temperature and humidity environments) is prohibited
• Tethering is prohibited (with very limited exceptions for short periods)

Transport requirements

If you transport pigs, you must meet animal welfare in transport requirements.

Fitness for transport

You must not transport pigs that are:

• Injured or ill (unless transport is for veterinary treatment)
• Unable to move independently without pain
• Newborn with unhealed navels
• Pregnant sows within 90% of expected pregnancy (approximately the last 2 weeks)
• Sows that have given birth within the previous week

Journey times

Space during transport

Pigs must be able to lie down and stand up in their natural position. As a guide, for pigs around 100 kg, loading density should not exceed 235 kg/m².

Water during transport

Pigs may be transported for up to 24 hours if they have continuous access to water during the journey. Vehicles must carry sufficient water.

Unweaned piglets

Unweaned piglets must:

• After 9 hours of travel, be given a rest period of at least 1 hour for liquid and if necessary feeding
• After rest, may be transported for a further 9 hours

Slaughter welfare

Animal welfare at slaughter is regulated separately under the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK) Regulations.

On-farm killing

If you kill pigs on your farm (for example, for home consumption), you must:

• Have the knowledge and skill to perform the task humanely
• Stun the animal before bleeding (with limited religious slaughter exceptions)
• Ensure death occurs quickly without unnecessary suffering

For routine on-farm killing (not emergencies), you need a WATOK Certificate of Competence unless an exemption applies - killing an animal for your own private domestic consumption is exempt.

Emergency killing

In emergencies (injured animals, animals in severe pain that cannot be practically alleviated), you may kill a pig without a Certificate of Competence provided:

• The animal is spared any avoidable pain, distress, and suffering
• It is killed as soon as possible
• You are trained and competent in the killing method and equipment
• You check for signs of life after killing

Slaughterhouse requirements

Pigs sent to slaughter must go to an approved slaughterhouse where:

• Staff hold Certificates of Competence (CoC)
• Animals are handled, restrained, stunned, and killed according to strict welfare rules
• An Official Veterinarian is present during slaughter operations

Future changes: CO2 stunning

The government's Animal Welfare Strategy signals intent to phase out high-concentration CO2 gas stunning of pigs due to welfare concerns, in favour of alternatives like argon gas stunning or automated electrical stunning.

Daily inspections and record-keeping

Daily inspections

You must inspect all pigs at least once a day to check they are in a state of well-being.

During inspections, check for:

• Signs of illness, injury, or distress
• Adequate feed and water supply
• Environmental enrichment is available and being used
• Ventilation and temperature are appropriate
• No signs of tail biting, ear biting, or other injurious behaviours
• Pigs are able to move freely and lie down comfortably

Records you must keep

Under welfare legislation, keep records for at least 3 years of:

• Number of mortalities found on each inspection
• Procedures carried out (tail docking, tooth reduction, castration) and justification

Records of medicinal treatment given to food-producing animals must be kept for at least 5 years under the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.

Additional records recommended

• Reasons for treatment (mastitis, lameness, etc.)
• Feed consumption patterns
• Environmental conditions monitoring
• Staff training records
• Health and welfare plan (agreed with your vet)

Movement records

You must also maintain a holding register recording all pig movements and conduct an annual inventory. Movement records must include:

• Date of movement
• CPH numbers (from and to)
• Number of pigs moved
• Identification marks

Inspections and enforcement

Who inspects

• Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA): Carries out on-farm welfare inspections on behalf of DEFRA
• Local authorities: Have enforcement powers for animal welfare
• Trading Standards: May be involved in welfare enforcement locally

Inspection triggers

Inspections may occur:

• At random as part of routine compliance monitoring
• Following a complaint or report of welfare concerns
• As part of checks linked to farm payment scheme agreements
• Following a disease investigation

What inspectors check

• Housing meets space and environmental requirements
• Environmental enrichment is provided
• Feed and water are adequate
• Animals show no signs of injury or disease
• Records are maintained
• Any procedures were justified and properly conducted

Inspection scoring

APHA uses a scoring system where A and B scores indicate compliance, while C and D scores indicate non-compliance. Non-compliances may result in:

• Advisory notices (for minor issues)
• Improvement notices (requiring action within specified time)
• Referral to local authority for enforcement
• Prosecution for serious or repeated breaches

Penalties for non-compliance

Animal Welfare Act 2006 offences

It is an offence if:

• An act or failure to act causes an animal to suffer
• You knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the act (or failure to act) would have that effect
• The animal is a protected animal (includes all kept animals)
• The suffering is unnecessary

Penalties

Additional consequences

• Disqualification orders: Courts can ban you from owning or keeping animals, potentially for life
• Deprivation orders: Courts can order removal of animals from your care
• Farm payment consequences: Welfare breaches can breach your scheme agreement terms, leading to recovery of payments or termination of SFI or Countryside Stewardship agreements
• Reputational damage: Prosecutions are public record

Recent enforcement examples

Courts treat serious welfare offences severely. Recent cases have resulted in:

• Suspended custodial sentences of 16-20 weeks
• Costs orders of several thousand pounds
• Lifetime bans on keeping farm animals
• Unpaid work requirements

Health and welfare planning

While not a strict legal requirement, having a written health and welfare plan agreed with your vet demonstrates good practice and helps ensure compliance.

What to include in a health and welfare plan

• Vaccination and parasite control programmes
• Biosecurity measures
• Protocols for common health conditions
• Environmental enrichment strategy
• Action plan for tail biting or other behavioural issues
• Emergency procedures
• Staff training requirements

Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway provides funded annual vet visits for pig keepers:

• Available for pig farms with 51 or more pigs
• Payment of £648 per Annual Health and Welfare Review (rate from 22 January 2026)
• Can claim every 10 months - visits are claimable for reviews completed by 19 June 2027
• Covers vet visit, disease testing, and advice