Just three months after we exposed widespread illegalities at Northmoor Farm, we’re back with a second investigation inside Cranswick’s concrete sheds. Featured in the Mail on Sunday, today’s launch reveals where the tiny piglets from Northmoor Farm are sent to, and what fate awaits them.

This is Somerby Top farm. Welcome to Hell.

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Hidden behind concrete walls and glossy marketing, Cranswick plc imprisons over 900,000 pigs and piglets. It is a Red Tractor-assured company and supplies major supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons, with products like bacon and sausages.

In May, we revealed the systemic abuse inside Northmoor Farm, and today, I bring you the findings from Somerby Top in Lincolnshire, the fattening farm where the piglets are sent to for the final 10 weeks of their short lives. The young pigs are put into desolate concrete pens in groups of 25, with just a wooden block or plastic pipe as so-called ‘enrichment’. This is the legal minimum, despite Cranswick being hailed as an “industry leader”.

In these unnatural conditions, where enrichment is abysmal, stimulation is minimal, and personal space is non-existent, these young pigs are pushed to psychological breaking points – they are bored, frustrated, anxious, and have no outlet for their innate natural behaviours. The overwhelming life in concrete cells inevitably led pigs to turn on each other out of sheer desperation.

Even though their tails had been cut off without pain relief when they were just days old – a standard but excruciating practice – tail biting remained widespread. We filmed pigs with rotting, bitten ears; some had half of their ears missing completely. Sick and injured pigs were a common sight: ruptured hernias, swollen joints, severe lameness, bites, scratches, coughing and wheezing, and open wounds. ‘Welfare checks’ by workers lasted as little as 90 seconds per shed; a shockingly brief amount of time to check the well-being of 1,000 animals. This grossly inadequate inspection left pigs extremely vulnerable, and they suffered even further as a result of the obvious negligence.

Pigs suffering with hernias – also known as ruptures – were abundant inside this Cranswick farm. Many died or were killed as a direct result of hernias being left untreated, despite them likely being treatable. Several individuals were eaten alive as they were trapped with nowhere to escape inside the concrete cells. We documented the stories of several pigs who were left to slowly fade away on the faeces-covered floor, and we will soon tell you the story of Percy, who died – slowly, painfully – inside this Red Tractor-approved farm.

“These pigs are suffering from conditions like lameness and large hernias that, in any other setting, would prompt immediate treatment. Lame animals should be given pain relief, usually antibiotics, and soft bedding. Hernias can be surgically corrected, though never are in pig farming, or may be managed better with proper care and housing. Sadly, in intensive farming, animals aren’t treated as individuals. Even basic care is often withheld because it’s not considered financially viable. This footage shows not just neglect—but a system that allows suffering on an industrial scale.” – Dr Alice Brough BVM&S MRCVS, pig veterinarian

For those who survived the hellish 10 weeks inside this Cranswick fattening farm, the slaughterhouse awaited. The extensive neglect we filmed quickly turned to violence and aggression during loading for transport. Workers physically and verbally abused the pigs, shouting obscenities and beating the terrified animals. Even lame pigs and those with ruptured hernias were loaded for slaughter, breaching UK legislation. In animal agriculture, profit is the bottom line, even if you have to break the law.

There are still hundreds of thousands of pigs trapped on Cranswick farms right now – and millions across the UK, and beyond – and they all need our help. Generous supporters like yourself, enable us to keep fighting day in, day out, for a world where everyone is free. We will not stop until that future is a reality.

Together, we are making a significant impact for our fellow pig friends, and are on the right side of history.

As always,

For the animals.