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Several organisations threatened legal action against the Innsbruck Medical University, western Austria, and the emergency medicine centre in Bolzano, northern Italy, which organised the experiment.
Hermann Brugger, who is leading the study, said the pigs were sedated and the authorities had given their approval.
Scientists want to study the effect of air pockets that form under snow during avalanches on victims' survival chances.
Brugger said one in five people hit by an avalanche found themselves with an air pocket, and the pig experiment could allow the development of new rescue techniques that could save human lives.
The Austrian animal defence association suggested researchers should "bury themselves in the snow and let their colleagues study the results".
Police were mobilised to prevent clashes between researchers and animal rights activists during the experiment in the Oetz valley, in the Tyrol region.
All you have to do is advertise the 'thrill of a lifetime'... you too can get 'buried alive'. There are plenty of thrill seekers out there that would jump at the chance, IMO, they just haven't been informed of such wonderful opportunities. Add the point that such volunteers can give valuable feedback that the pigs most likely cannot.