Outdoor pig rearing provides positive welfare benefits for behavioral expression, but requires management to address thermal stress, injury, and parasite challenges unique to outdoor systems.
Outdoor pig systems represent a genuine welfare improvement over intensive indoor confinement for behavioral expression, but are not without welfare challenges that require careful management. The ability to root in natural substrate, wallow in mud, and explore varied terrain provides pigs with behavioral opportunities denied in intensive housing. However, outdoor systems without adequate shade, wallowing facilities, and parasite management fail to realize their welfare potential. The welfare opportunity of outdoor systems is maximized by management that addresses the specific challenges of the outdoor environment.