Pig welfare regulation
everything you need to know
Since March 2026 there are new obligations for every pig farm in Spain. This page walks you through what you must comply with, which farm type is worth declaring and what action is still pending before 8 March 2026.
Mandatory for every farmer
Monthly NH₃ and CO₂ records
Whichever type you declare, every pig farm must monitor and document two gases inside the buildings, at animal height.
20 ppm
Ammonia · NH₃
Maximum concentration allowed on a continuous basis.
3,000 ppm
Carbon dioxide · CO₂
Maximum concentration allowed on a continuous basis.
How often must you record?
Monthly, as a general rule.
Quarterly, after a full year without exceeding the limits in any record.
The corrective measures planned if the limits are exceeded must be stated explicitly.
For this general record automated sensors are not mandatory: periodic spot measurements are enough. What is mandatory is keeping the record documented and available for any inspection.
Augan does it for you
Your sensors generate the monthly report automatically
Install our NH₃ and CO₂ sensors and the system produces the periodic records without you doing anything. Always up to date, always available for any inspection.
Choose and declare your farm type
The 3 types under RD 809/2025
Every farm must declare one of these three types. The type you choose determines the authorised stocking density in the pens, which directly affects how many pigs you can keep in the same space.
Type
One
Who can declare it?
Farms where no animal has a docked tail. The farm applies no tail mutilation at all.
Type
Two
Who can declare it?
Farms where animals may have docked tails, provided documented complementary measures are met.
Authorised density
0.68 m²
per animal · best density
Augan sensors cover 2 of the requirements needed to qualify for this type
Type
Three
Who falls into this type?
All other farms. It is the default type if the Type 2 requirements are not met, or if no declaration is filed.
Authorised density
0.74 m²
per animal · standard density
What it means in practice
The gap between Type 2 (0.68 m²) and Type 3 (0.74 m²) works out at 1 more pig per pen, in pens of approximately 14 pigs.
What do you need to declare Type 2?
You must meet 5 fixed mandatory requirements simultaneously and choose at least 2 from a list of 5 optional ones.
Fixed requirements · all 5 are mandatory
- 1
Enrichment material active more than 86.4% of the time (calculated per Annex IV).
- 2
A documented animal welfare plan with specific minimum content.
- 3
Continuous temperature control system in every building.
- 4
Antibiotic use below, or up to 10% above, the national reference indicator.
- 5
A farm veterinarian monitoring the welfare plan.
Optional requirements · choose at least 2 of these 5
- a
Continuous, automated CO₂ measurement per building, using probes.
✓ Covered by Augan
- b
Continuous, automated NH₃ measurement per building, using probes.
✓ Covered by Augan
- c
Continuous compact flooring over at least 1/3 of the surface (where slatted flooring is partial).
- d
An internal temperature regulation system (cooling and/or heating).
- e
Feeding and drinking points 25% above the legal minimum.
You can pick any combination of 2 out of the 5. With Augan's a+b sensors you get two of them immediately, and verifiable at inspection.
Legal update history
Base pig animal welfare regulation
Establishes the maximum gas concentration limits inside the buildings, measured at animal height: 20 ppm NH₃ and 3,000 ppm CO₂.
Requires monthly monitoring records to prove compliance with these values.
Mandatory for all existing farms from 8 March 2026.
Farms classified into 3 types
Classifies farms as Type 1, 2 and 3, each with a different authorised density and different requirements.
Type 2 allows 0.68 m²/animal versus 0.74 m² for Type 3 — around 1 more pig per pen, in pens of approximately 14 pigs.
Qualifying for Type 2 requires 5 fixed mandatory requirements plus 2 of 5 optional ones.
Stocking densities in RD 159/2023 annulled
The Supreme Court annuls the stocking density section of the fourth final provision of RD 159/2023.
Densities are now governed exclusively by RD 809/2025, according to the declared type.
The rest of RD 159/2023 — gases, records, isolation pens — remains fully in force.
