Pig members' info

Every year in the UK, over 10 million pigs are farmed for food. But sadly, a large percentage of these pigs are reared in lower welfare conditions that ignore their welfare needs - barren environments, minimal enrichment, cramped into farrowing crates and stress-inducing travel for slaughter.

Pigs are highly intelligent and sociable animals. They’re inquisitive and have complex needs that should be met by their environment on a farm. Farmers can give pigs good living conditions and a better quality of life by following the RSPCA welfare standards. RSPCA Assured assesses pigs kept in indoor and outdoor systems, helping to improve animal welfare no matter the system. One of our core promises is that we will not and never will allow pigs to be confined during farrowing.

RSPCA Assured continues to work hard alongside the RSPCA to continually progress pig welfare and provide important education on farming to higher welfare standards. 94% of the UK population consumes some form of animal produce (meat, eggs, fish or dairy), and 83% say they have no plans to remove animal produce from their diets. That’s why the work we do together with our members is more important than ever - without their collaboration, millions of animals would be farmed to lower welfare standards. Because of our collective efforts, millions of pigs are living better lives. That’s something to be proud of.

The RSPCA’s pig welfare standards have recently been updated with amendments that mostly come into effect on 3 March 2025, but there are a few that don’t have to be implemented until 2026.

When are the new pig standards coming into effect?

• Most of the standards will come into force on 3 March 2025 but some have a longer lead-in time to allow producers time to adjust and make the required changes.

These are:

• The split-sexing of pigs by the time they reach an average live weight of 50kg - the standard must be met from 3 March 2026.
• The requirements for transport of cull sows and boars to be carried out by an RSPCA Assured-approved haulier and for them to be slaughtered at an RSPCA Assured abattoir - these standards must be met from 3 March 2026.

What are the major changes you have made to the pig welfare standards?

The main changes being introduced in the 2025 RSPCA pig welfare standards are as follows (please note this is not an exhaustive list of the new standards, simply a guide to some of the bigger changes):

• The introduction of split-sexing of male and female pigs by the time they reach an average live weight of 50kg (from 3 March 2026).
• From 3 March 2026 all end-of-life sows and boars that have been used for breeding (often referred to as cull sows and boars) must be transported according to the RSPCA’s transport standards - and by an approved haulier who is compliant with the RSPCA welfare standards for pigs. They must also be taken to an RSPCA Assured-approved abattoir from 3 March 2026.
• The use of off-site lairaging facilities at abattoirs (lairage is a holding pen where pigs are kept when they arrive at the abattoir and off-site lairage is a holding pen further away from the abattoir which pigs are sometimes transported to) must not be used as an extension of the on-site lairage. Off-site lairages may only be used in emergencies.
• The minimum feed place width requirements remain the same in the new standards. However, a new standard has been included for members who have feeders which were installed prior to 2020, which allows a minimum feed place width of 25cm for pigs weighing 50kg and above, provided that additional feed places are provided at the specified ratio. This was previously allowed by a derogation (i.e. producers in this situation could apply for special permission).
• A new information box also informs these members that the RSPCA will continue to review this standard and will be requiring all producers to meet the feed place width requirement of 30cm for pigs weighing 50kg and above in the future. No date has been set, but this will not be allowed in future versions of the standards.

Will there be any support available to help RSPCA Assured members implement the new standards?

• We recognise some of the new standards will require members to make adjustments, so we must provide enough time to make the necessary changes, and we support and advise them during this process.
• The RSPCA has allowed up to one year for the more significant changes, such as the changes around the split-sexing of pigs and transport and slaughter of cull sows and boars, to be made.
• New, potential or existing RSPCA Assured members who are in need of support or advice on how they can meet the new pig standards are encouraged to contact the RSPCA Assured’s farming engagement team.

How were the new pig standards developed?

• The standards are continually improved and progressed using the latest scientific research, robust, well-considered evidence and practical farming experience. The RSPCA also regularly consults with other animal welfare and agricultural scientists, veterinary surgeons, retailers and farming industry representatives to ensure the standards continue to be at the forefront of farm animal care and welfare, whilst also being achievable on commercial farms.
• Feedback on the development of standards is also taken into account from the specially-trained RSPCA Assured assessors who audit scheme members, as well as from the scheme members themselves. This thorough, evidence-based approach is one of the RSPCA welfare standards’ key strengths.

What are the benefits of being an RSPCA Assured member and rearing pigs to the RSPCA welfare standards?

• Farming to RSPCA welfare standards has been shown to lead to healthier animals.
• RSPCA Assured members have also reported lower mortality and a better quality product.
• For example, higher welfare transport and slaughtering practices are not only better for pig welfare, they also help avoid meat quality issues. If pigs are subject to stress, the risk of PSE (pale, soft and exudative pork) is increased. PSE is watery pork that appears pale and has a high fluid loss when cut, resulting in reduced consumer satisfaction.
• Members also tell us that operating to RSPCA welfare standards has improved their working environment and job satisfaction.
• Our assurance differentiates products and adds value, which could help producers get a better margin.
• We know there will be a greater push towards higher welfare farming from governments in the future and by rearing their pigs to our standards, producers are ensuring they’re ahead of the curve.
• The amount of food carrying the RSPCA Assured label is increasing year-on-year and we expect this trend to continue.
• RSPCA Assured ranked as first choice for shoppers looking for animal welfare assurance (2,000 UK adults polled in Q4 2023).

What are the new standards on split-sexing pigs and why are they being introduced?

• From 3 March 2026, pigs must be ‘split-sexed’ - i.e. male and female pigs should be moved into separate pens - by the time they reach an average weight* of 50kg. This has been reduced from 110kg in the 2016 version of the standards.
• This is an important change because females in mixed-sex groups are frequently subjected to aggression and mounting by males, and a large number of pregnant gilts are being slaughtered in abattoirs.
• Continuous mounting by males causes various welfare issues:
  • Stress: they can’t escape. Males will also constantly nudge the female, prior to mounting.
  • Pain: as males are often heavier, mounting causes damage to the females’ joints, particularly cartilage.
  • Injuries: in severe cases, sows can suffer fractured limbs or back. Males can also be injured when mounting females.
• An EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) report said: “The proportion of gilts pregnant at slaughter in the UK is significant. Reports from vets working in abattoirs indicated pregnancy prevalence of at least 10% and up to 40% in extreme cases. These gilts are likely to be in early pregnancy in most cases because age at puberty will typically be 170–180 days and with current UK slaughter weights, most gilts will be 160–180 days at slaughter. If entire males are kept in countries where slaughter weight and age is higher, this prevalence could increase, but would be easily avoided by split‐sex rearing.”
• Although there is no conclusive evidence on whether foetuses feel pain, split-sexing of pigs will mean fewer pregnant gilts will be slaughtered, reducing the potential for suffering.
• There are no legal protections for livestock foetuses at slaughter and legislation on stunning doesn’t make any special provisions for pregnant animals.
• Split-sexing also allows producers to tailor their pigs’ diet. Male and female pigs need slightly different diets to grow efficiently - and by tailoring diets, muscle growth can be improved.

What are the new standards on the transport and slaughter of cull sows and boars and why are they being introduced?

• End-of-life sows and boars that have been used for breeding are often referred to as cull sows and boars.
• Most, if not all, RSPCA Assured members already send cull sows and boars to RSPCA Assured approved abattoirs. This has now been added to the standards so it can be formally implemented and assessed. This standard must be met from 3 March 2026.
• Also from 3 March 2026, all cull sows and boars must be transported according to the RSPCA’s transport standards and by an approved haulier compliant with the RSPCA welfare standards for pigs.
• The welfare of sows and boars used for breeding is just as important as finishers (i.e. pigs bred specifically for meat) - and via these new standards, we can formally assess the way they are transported and slaughtered.

What are the new standards on the use of off-site lairage and why are they being introduced?

• The use of off-site lairaging must not be used as an extension of the on-site lairage. Off-site lairages may only be used in emergency situations.
• This is important for pig welfare because the use of off-site lairages involves unnecessary travel and pigs being loaded and unloaded onto vehicles additional times, and being kept in an unfamiliar environment, all of which is stressful for them.

Has anything changed regarding the minimum size of feeding places allowed by the standards?

Feed place width requirements set the minimum amount of space around a pig’s head when it’s eating at a ‘feed place’.

• The minimum feed place width requirements remain the same in the new standards. However, a new standard has been included for members who have feeders installed prior to 2020, which allows a minimum feed place width of 25cm for pigs weighing 50kg and above, provided that additional feed places are provided at the specified ratio.
• No date has been set, but as this will not be allowed in future versions of the standards, all producers are strongly encouraged to install feeders that meet the minimum feed place width allowances at the earliest opportunity. These are: a minimum width of 15cm for pigs weighing up to 35kg, 20cm for pigs weighing 35kg and up to 50kg, 30cm for pigs weighing 50kg and above.
• A new information box has also been included, which informs these members that the RSPCA will continue to review this standard, and in the future will be requiring all producers to meet the feed place width requirement of 30cm for pigs weighing 50kg and above.

Understanding split sexing and why the standards require it

From 3 March 2026, pigs must be ‘split-sexed’, i.e. male and female pigs should be moved into separate pens, by the time they reach an average weight* of 50kg. This has been reduced from 110kg in the 2016 version of the standards.

This is an important change because females in mixed-sex groups are frequently subjected to aggression and mounting by males - and a large number of pregnant gilts are being slaughtered in abattoirs. Continuous mounting by males causes various welfare issues:

• Stress: they can’t escape. Males will also constantly nudge the female, prior to mounting.
• Pain: as males are heavier, mounting causes damage to the females’ joints, particularly cartilage.
• Injuries: in severe cases, sows can suffer fractured limbs or back. Males can also be injured when mounting females.

An EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) report said:

“The proportion of gilts pregnant at slaughter in the UK is significant. Reports from vets working in abattoirs indicated pregnancy prevalence of at least 10% and up to 40% in extreme cases. These gilts are likely to be in early pregnancy in most cases because age at puberty will typically be 170–180 days and with current UK slaughter weights most gilts will be 160–180 days at slaughter. If entire males are kept in countries where slaughter weight and age is higher, this prevalence could increase, but would be easily avoided by split‐sex rearing.”

Although there is no conclusive evidence on whether foetuses feel pain, split-sexing of pigs will mean fewer pregnant gilts will be slaughtered, reducing the potential for suffering.

There are no legal protections for livestock foetuses at slaughter and legislation on stunning doesn’t make any special provisions for pregnant animals.

Split-sexing also allows producers to tailor their pigs’ diet. Male and female pigs need slightly different diets to grow efficiently - and by tailoring diets, muscle growth can be improved.

Will it cost producers lots of time and money to change their systems and the way they work?

We know that approximately half of RSPCA Assured members already practise split-sexing.

We acknowledge other members may need to change the set-up of their facilities and ways of working in order to achieve this standard. For this reason, the standard doesn’t come into force until 2026 to allow producers time to plan and adjust.

Producers rarely have an equal number of male and female pigs - won’t this make splitting them up difficult?

The number of male and female pigs is rarely equal, and on most farms, the pens pigs are kept in are a set size - so there may be too many of each sex to fit in the available pens and still meet the standards in relation to space requirements.

The RSPCA wants to avoid producers running out of pens or having to house pigs on their own. For this reason, the standards allow up to 5% of the herd to be kept in mixed sex pens to help with pen allocation management. So on a unit with 200 pigs, up to 10 pigs could be kept in a mixed-sex pen.

Any ‘smalls’ can also be put into mixed sex pens, but these mixed groups of smalls mustn’t make up more than 10% of the herd. ‘Smalls’ are smaller pigs that are less robust and need separating from other pigs in the main herd to avoid unfair competition from stronger pigs. Farms don’t usually have many extra pens for smalls, so it might be difficult to split-sex them.

If more than 10% of a herd is made up of smalls, the RSPCA considers this to be a high number. It indicates there may be a reason why increased numbers of smaller, weaker pigs are being born - and this needs to be addressed.

The hospital pen (a warm, comfortable area where sick pigs receive treatment and recover) can also contain both sexes at the same time - also because most farms don’t have many hospital pens, so split-sexing could be difficult to achieve.

It’s a big step forward for pig welfare for a minimum of 85% of pigs on RSPCA Assured farms to be split-sexed - and whilst in an ideal world it would be 100%, the RSPCA has made these allowances in the hope it will make the new standard more practical and achievable for RSPCA Assured members.

If you need any support in meeting this standard, or have any questions, please reach out to our farming engagement team.

If you want to find out more about split sexing, we’ve listed some great research resources for you below:

1. Rydhmer, L., Zamaratskaia, G., Andersson, H. K., Algers, B., Guillemet R., & Lundström, K. (2006). Aggressive and sexual behaviour of growing and finishing pigs reared in groups, without castration. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A — Animal Science, 56(2), 109-119.
2. Kritas, S. K., & Morrison, R. B. (2004). An observational study on tail biting in commercial grower-finisher barns. J Swine Health Prod. 12(1):17-22.
3. Vanheukelom, V., Van Beirendonck, S., Van Thielen, J., & Driessen, B. (2012). Behavior, production results and meat quality of intact boars and gilts housed in unmixed groups: A comparative study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 142(3–4), 154-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2012.10.004.
4. Hartnett, P.; Boyle, L.; Younge, B.; O’Driscoll, K. The Effect of Group Composition and Mineral Supplementation during Rearing on Measures of Cartilage Condition and Bone Mineral Density in Replacement Gilts. Animals 2019, 9, 637. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090637
5. Hartnett, P., Boyle, L. A., & O’Driscoll, K. The effect of group composition and mineral supplementation during rearing on the behavior and welfare of replacement gilts. Translational Animal Science, Volume 4, Issue 2, April 2020, Pages 1038–1050. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaa002
6. Björklund, L., & Boyle, L. A. (2006). “Effects of Finishing Boars in Mixed and Single Sex Groups and Split Marketing on Pig Welfare.” Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 48 (1):P2.