Animal Welfare in Farming: Why Raising Animals with Care Can Benefit Producers
There is a clear ethical reason for adopting animal welfare practices on farms: animals should not be raised in systems that cause unnecessary pain, stress, or suffering.
However, animal welfare is not only an ethical responsibility. Providing adequate living conditions for farm animals can also benefit production systems and the future of farming businesses.
Many producers still ask an important question: Is investing in animal welfare financially worthwhile?
Does it make sense to adopt practices that allow animals to express their natural behaviors, such as eating, resting, moving, and interacting with other animals?
The answer is yes.
Animal welfare and production results can go together
Research and farm experiences show that responsible animal care practices can bring benefits to both animals and producers.
When animals are raised with proper management and conditions that meet their physical and behavioral needs, they can present better health and productivity indicators.
At the same time, consumers are paying increasing attention to how animal products are produced. The way animals are raised has become an important factor for people who want more transparency about the origin of their food.
A case study: collective housing for pigs
One example comes from a study carried out at Granja Miunça, which compared two different production systems for pigs.
In one system, piglets were born and raised in collective pens, following animal welfare recommendations. In the other, the conventional system was used, with pregnant sows kept in individual stalls with limited space.
The results showed positive production differences in the collective housing system:
- 3.5% increase in the number of piglets born alive;
- 14% higher piglet weight at weaning.
The study shows that systems designed to better meet animals’ needs can also contribute to improved production outcomes.
The role of animal welfare in the future of farming
Animal welfare is becoming an increasingly important topic in food production.
For producers, adopting better farming practices means responding to changing expectations from consumers while maintaining productive and competitive operations.
For consumers, transparency about how animals are raised helps build confidence in the products they choose.
Certifications such as Certified Humane® help identify production systems that follow recognized animal welfare standards based on scientific requirements and independent inspections.
Better care, better decisions for the future
Animal welfare should not be seen as separate from business performance.
The Granja Miunça case demonstrates that providing better conditions for animals can also be associated with positive production results.
By adopting responsible practices, producers can contribute to healthier animals, more transparent production systems, and a stronger relationship with consumers.
Published on September 10, 2026
