Farmed Animals

Pig Rooting Substrate: Research Into Best Practice

Research has identified rooting substrate characteristics that most effectively meet pig behavioral needs and reduce welfare problems.

Key Facts

Pigs spend more time rooting in compostable materials than in non-compostable alternatives
Straw provides both rooting substrate and nesting material, meeting multiple behavioral needs
The minimum legal requirement of one chain per 10 pigs is largely ineffective as enrichment
Rooting substrate reduces tail biting most effectively when provided from weaning onwards

Welfare Considerations

The quality and type of rooting substrate matters as much as its presence. Pigs quickly investigate and abandon non-manipulable items. Effective enrichment must be chewable, movable, and ideally edible — compostable materials including straw, paper, and wood shavings meet these criteria. Systems providing effective substrate show dramatic reductions in tail biting and aggression.

What You Can Do

Choose pork from farms using compostable rather than token enrichment
Advocate for enrichment regulations to specify material type not just presence
Support research into cost-effective substrate delivery systems for intensive farms
Ask pork brands what specific substrate types their suppliers provide