When piglets are about 6 weeks old, weighing about 90 pounds, they are sold and transported to a finishing operation. These facilities purchase feeder pigs and raise them to market weight. The pigs suffer all the hardships associated with transport in order to be brought to the facility. Disease and Death on Factory Farms Pigs are naturally extremely hygienic but are forced to live in hideous conditions on factory farms. Overcrowding, poor ventilation, and filth cause so much stress that pigs become weak and, as a result, disease is rampant.
Respiratory problems are common due to toxic gases from the manure pit and high levels of humidity.
Up to 60 percent of all pigs raised in confinement buildings suffer from mycoplasmic pneumonia. 6 Another study shows that many deaths are associated with exposure to the hydrogen sulfide that emanates from manure pits. In fact, these fumes are so strong that they have been known to kill humans as well. Furthermore, migrating ascarid worm larvae proliferate under such conditions. It has been found that up to 15 percent of piglets will die between birth and weaning 8 and that 7 percent of pigs will die in the finishing pen.