Scientific research on pig space allowances has demonstrated the minimum space required for natural behaviour expression, informing welfare standards that exceed legal minimums.
Pig space allowance research has generated a strong scientific basis for welfare standards that exceed legal minimums. The evidence shows clearly that legal minimum space allowances are insufficient for the expression of natural behaviour - pigs in minimum-space systems cannot lie simultaneously without contact, have limited scope for movement, and show higher rates of aggression and injury. The welfare implications of this evidence are clear: regulatory minimums should be raised to reflect scientific knowledge. Higher-welfare certification schemes demonstrate commercial viability at these higher space allowances, removing the argument that welfare improvement is economically impossible.