Pig Welfare

At Pipestone, animal welfare is at the core of what we do.

Our Commitment to Pig Welfare

At Pipestone, our pigs rely entirely on us to meet their needs. Because they rely on us to meet their needs and care for their welfare, we have an obligation to do so. We have set specific welfare goals for our caretakers regarding pig nutrition, behavior/interactions, health, and the environment. We believe that our animal caretakers’ matter. We encourage them to understand that what they think and what they do truly matters to the pig.

Who is in Charge of Animal Welfare?

OUR CAREGIVERS!

At Pipestone, we believe our caregivers are the best in the world. They are trained throughout the year on welfare topics. Each caregiver will complete a minimum of 12 trainings and pass 12 assessments on their welfare knowledge each year.

Proven Processes

Our caregivers are trained to assess both the physical and mental/emotional state of pigs and respond to every pig, every day.

Physical – Evaluating nutrition, interactions, health, and environment. Example: Does the pig have fresh food?
Mental/Emotional – Understanding how the pig feels about these factors. Example: Does the pig feel full and content?

To ensure proper assessment and response, we have an internal audit team, monitored video footage, and regularly bring in trained external auditors. This comprehensive approach upholds the highest standards of pig welfare.

99% Avg External Audit Score

The swine industry has adopted core standards regarding the welfare of pigs, people and the planet. These standards are assessed via the Common Swine Industry Audit. This audit is performed by a 3^rd party and consists of 93 standards.

156 internal audits completed

At Pipestone we have specially trained staff that audit our farms to confirm we are accomplishing our welfare goals. The auditors make unannounced visits to the farm and assess the nutrition, interaction/behavior, health and the environment. Farms are given a score and tracked throughout the year. Farms which show a consistent ability to accomplish all our welfare goals are eligible to receive welfare appreciation compensation.

80 Hours of Video Footage Reviewed

At Pipestone, we have cameras installed in the load-out areas of many of our barns. We believe we have the best animal caretakers in the world, but we feel it is appropriate to verify this through video footage. In addition to on-farm audits, our internal audit teams also monitor video footage and score animal movements on our farms.

Zero Tolerance

At Pipestone, we have zero tolerance for neglect or willful acts of abuse on farm. Caretakers in violation of animal welfare policies and protocols are subject to disciplinary action up to termination. We make it clear that it is everyone’s responsibility to report any animal mistreatment if it is observed. Every caregiver working on a Pipestone managed farm has made a commitment to not abuse animals. They have also committed to stopping another individual if they see them abusing an animal and report it.

Meet the Welfare Expert Panel

Because animal welfare is foundational to our success, we bring in experts to evaluate and provide direction for our program. The experts update our team on current welfare research and topics of importance. They analyze our policies and trainings and provide guidance for continual improvement of our welfare program.

Director of Animal Welfare

Cara Haden, DVM

My name is Cara Haden, and I am director of animal welfare at PIPESTONE. I work every day to equip our animal caregivers, to verify our welfare culture, to respond to any animal welfare concerns, and to communicate our program to our clients, customers, and the public. I passionately care about the pigs and the people of PIPESTONE, and can attest that animal welfare truly is at the core of what we do here each and every day.