Outdoor pig production allows pigs to express natural rooting, wallowing, and social behaviors, though it also introduces specific welfare challenges.
Outdoor pig production offers genuine welfare advantages by allowing behavioral expression that intensive indoor systems prevent. Rooting in soil, wallowing to thermoregulate in summer, and ranging in larger social groups are natural behaviors that outdoor pigs can perform. However, outdoor systems introduce welfare challenges including exposure to harsh weather, predator attacks, and variation in management quality that is more difficult to monitor than in indoor facilities. The welfare value of outdoor access is maximized when combined with adequate shelter, sufficient wallowing space, and good health monitoring that takes advantage of the outdoor environment.