Pig pen design including flooring type, space, and enrichment provision has major welfare implications across production systems.
Pigs on slatted concrete floors experience hoof wear, joint pressure, and inability to control their thermal environment. Dunging in sleeping areas causes hygiene problems and chronic wet skin. Solid floors with rooting substrates allow natural behavior and reduce leg problems. Simple pen enrichment including hanging chains or rooting materials dramatically reduces aggression and improves welfare at minimal cost.