Pigs are intelligent, sensitive animals. When they’re raised in confinement — under constant stress, unable to root, graze, or move freely — that stress doesn’t stop at the nervous system. It changes how their bodies function right down to the cellular level. Chronic stress elevates cortisol. Cortisol alters how muscle stores glycogen and how fat is laid down. When an animal is stressed right up until slaughter, muscle chemistry shifts — affecting pH, water retention, texture, and flavour. This