Pig Welfare Standards and Guidelines

The Victorian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Pigs (Pig Welfare Standards) recognise that the basic requirement for the welfare of pigs is a good husbandry system, managed by trained and skilled stock-people.

The specific needs of pigs are:

• readily accessible, appropriate and sufficient food and water
• adequate shelter to protect them from climatic extremes
• opportunity to display appropriate patterns of behaviour
• physical handling in a manner that minimises the likelihood of unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress
• protection from or rapid diagnosis and correct treatment of injury or disease
• freedom for necessary movement, including to stand, stretch, and lie down
• visual and social contact with other pigs

The purpose of the Pig Welfare Standards is to describe the standards and guidelines that ensure the welfare of pigs in all Australian production systems. The standards and guidelines in the document provide support for assessing and demonstrating high levels of compliance with good farming practices.

Download the Victorian Pig Welfare Standards and Guidelines:

Victorian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Pigs (PDF - 1.9 MB)

Victorian Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Pigs (WORD - 368.0 KB)