The evolving challenge: animal welfare as a production standard
In today’s pork industry, animal welfare is no longer a niche concern or marketing trend—it is a structural expectation, embedded in legislation, consumer demands, and retailer audits. Across Europe, the transition to loose housing and crate-free farrowing is accelerating, with welfare compliance becoming a key performance indicator for modern pig farms.
But welfare compliance isn’t just about infrastructure. It requires sows that can thrive in new environments: animals that move confidently, behave calmly, and farrow independently. Without the right genetics, transitioning to welfare-friendly systems increases the risk of lameness, piglet crushing, reproductive inefficiencies, and added labor demands. The problem farmers face is clear: How do you maintain productivity when traditional restraints and interventions are removed?
The answer starts with traits.
Genetic traits that drive welfare performance
Improving animal welfare outcomes requires a coordinated focus on functional traits that directly impact how sows behave, perform, and sustain productivity in less-restrictive environments. PIC has identified and prioritized a group of interrelated phenotypic and behavioral attributes in its breeding program that enable smoother adaptation to welfare-enhanced systems.
Structural resilience: locomotion, claw integrity, and skeletal balance
Leg soundness and overall structure are foundational to sow longevity and adaptability in loose housing. In unrestricted environments, sows are exposed to increased physical movement, turning, standing and lying transitions, and social interactions—all of which stress the musculoskeletal system.
PIC’s maternal lines are selected based on:
1. Leg scoring systems grounded in both phenotypic assessment and digital video analysis
2. Sow retention data linked to structural soundness up to and beyond parity 3
AI-assisted locomotion scoring has been introduced in elite testing farms to increase objectivity and consistency in evaluating locomotion traits. This tool supports higher accuracy in selecting for animals with superior leg conformation, joint alignment, and claw durability. As a result, PIC sows maintain functionality and stability through multiple parities—critical in environments where crate use is minimized.
Temperament and maternal behavior: behavioral compatibility with freedom systems
Welfare success depends not only on physical adaptation, but also on behavioral predictability. Aggression, restlessness, or high reactivity can disrupt farrowing, increase piglet mortality, and complicate handling.
PIC maternal selection consider aspects as:
1. Behavioral scoring of sow responses in farrowing crates and group pens
2. Measurements of maternal calmness, including vocalization, posture changes, and piglet tolerance
3. Genetic correlations between temperament and piglet survivability
In freedom farrowing environments, these traits reduce farrowing assistance, improve piglet access to teats, and lower the risk of crushing. Behavioral stability also contributes to worker safety and animal monitoring efficiency.
Read more: More freedom for the sow – experiences from Spain – PIC UK
Piglet vitality and uniformity: from fetal development to birth weight
Piglet robustness begins long before birth. Selection for uterine efficiency, placental health, and intrauterine growth uniformity has allowed PIC to shift away from the trade-off between prolificacy and vitality. Birthweight uniformity has emerged as a key proxy for overall welfare performance and survivability.
Highlights from PIC genetic progress:
1. L04 and L05 pure lines have gained +80g and +40g, respectively, in average BW from 2020 to 2024
2. The incidence of piglets <900g has decreased significantly, from over 10% to under 6% in Camborough® litters (while increasing litter size)
3. Genetic monitoring includes litter variation indexes and parity-linked performance tracking
These gains are reinforced by maternal behavioral traits, such as sow calmness and colostrum availability, that improve early piglet survival without human intervention.
Reproductive rhythm and consistency: minimizing disruptions ing
Loose housing systems increase the need for reproductive predictability. Sows must transition from lactation to estrus efficiently, with minimal hormonal or behavioral disruption. Parity gaps, delayed breeding, or extended wean-to-service intervals compromise throughput and stress animal well-being.
PIC® breeding program and management recommendations make possible to achieve:
1. Short wean-to-service intervals (WSI)
2. Consistent ovulation timing
3. Low second-parity drops and stable litter performance
Commercial herd data confirms that >85% of PIC sows remain in production after parity 5 with <5.5-day average WSI. This consistency supports robust batch flows, reduces stress-inducing rebreeding, and ensures stable resource allocation.
Read more: Good News: More gilts make it to the third cycle! – PIC UK
How PIC designs genetics for welfare-compatible performance
PIC’s breeding approach integrates welfare traits not as secondary parameters but as core drivers within the selection index. This strategy is supported by three pillars:
A. Multi-environment data integration Data from nucleus farms, multiplier herds, and commercial producers across different geographies and systems informs selection decisions. Structural and behavioral trait data are cross-referenced with productivity and survivability outcomes.
Read more: Genetics: The anchor to sow longevity – PIC UK
B. Digital phenotyping and AI-enhanced scoring Through digital video locomotion analysis and behavior-tracking software, PIC captures subtle variations in gait, posture, and interaction patterns. These digital tools enhance the objectivity of scoring systems used in traditional evaluations.
Read more: PIC ushers in the era of digital phenotyping – PIC UK
C. Crossbred testing (GNX platform) Traits are validated under commercial conditions through PIC’s GNX program, which evaluates crossbred performance in high-throughput, welfare-compliant environments. This approach ensures that breeding value translates into farm-level results.
By weighting structure, survivability, and reproductive metrics into the selection index, PIC promotes animals that perform reliably in real-world systems—whether crate-based or fully open.
Read more: Innovative technologies for robust animals and sustainable production – PIC UK
Field performance examples: welfare without compromise
Camborough® in freedom farrowing systems
In a Spanish trial, Camborough® sows housed in freedom pens without confinement displayed:
1. Calm postural transitions during farrowing
2. Low piglet crushing rates
3. Minimal sow intervention required
4. Maintained lactation performance and piglet weights
This reinforces Camborough® as a solution for producers seeking balance between animal welfare and commercial viability.
Did you know that the Camborough is the most popular sow in the UK for outdoors farms?
X54® in high-output group housing
X54®, though selected for prolificacy, maintains strong maternal behavior and skeletal robustness, making her suitable for group breeding and dynamic housing environments.
1. Sow-piglet interactions remained stable even with litter sizes over 16
2. Structural assessments showed minimal decline through parity 5
3. Consistent estrus cycles reduced variability in group flows
These case studies demonstrate that modern genetic lines can excel in demanding welfare contexts without trade-offs in output.
Did you know that the top X54 farms in Europe achieve sow survivability rates >90% while keeping (while >36 PSY)?
Conclusion: engineering welfare into genetic progress
Modern pig farming requires a shift in mindset: animal welfare is not an obstacle to performance, but a prerequisite for long-term sustainability. Genetic selection is the most efficient and scalable way to meet welfare standards while protecting profitability.
With PIC’s female program:
1. Structural soundness improves sow mobility and housing adaptability
2. Temperament traits reduce labor, stress, and piglet mortality
3. Piglet vitality ensures smoother farrowings and uniform growth
4. Reproductive consistency maintains flow stability and throughput
Whether you’re transitioning to freedom farrowing, optimizing loose housing, or preparing for future regulatory shifts, Camborough® and X54® offer proven, trait-driven solutions built for real-world conditions.
Choose genetics that support your welfare goals without compromise.
Learn more: Camborough® | X54®
Contact your PIC representative to explore welfare-ready solutions tailored to your system.
