Pigs are highly motivated to root and explore with their snouts. Providing appropriate substrates like straw, compost, or peat fulfils this behavioural need and dramatically reduces harmful redirected behaviours such as tail biting.
Substrate deprivation is one of the most pervasive welfare problems in intensive pig production. When pigs cannot root, they redirect their exploratory behaviour toward pen-mates — biting tails and ears. This causes pain, infection, and in severe cases death. The stress of confinement without appropriate outlet compounds these harms. Providing straw, compost, or other loose materials is low-cost relative to the welfare improvement it delivers, and research consistently shows farms using adequate substrate have lower tail-biting rates and calmer pigs. Routine tail docking to compensate for substrate deprivation treats a symptom rather than the cause.