The majority of UK pigs are reared indoors — improving welfare within these systems through enrichment, space and management is both achievable and urgently needed.
Indoor pig welfare improvement does not require abandoning intensive production systems — significant welfare gains are achievable within existing buildings through enrichment, space management, and handling quality improvements. Providing rooting material on an enrichment schedule, adjusting pen density, improving ventilation to control summer heat, and implementing low-stress handling techniques are all accessible improvements that change the daily welfare experience of millions of pigs. The difference between the most and least welfare-conscious indoor pig producers — using similar housing — is enormous and entirely a function of management choices.