Pigs are among the most intelligent farm animals, with play, exploration and rooting as core behavioural needs. Enrichment provision reduces aggression, improves welfare, and can be implemented cost-effectively.
Pig enrichment is not a luxury but a fundamental need. Pigs deprived of rooting and exploration opportunities redirect these behaviours onto pen-mates, causing injuries that cascade through a group. The economic cost of tail biting injuries, treatments and productivity loss exceeds the cost of providing enrichment in most analyses, making enrichment both an ethical and commercial imperative.