Pigs are intelligent, social animals whose welfare in group housing depends critically on the quality and variety of enrichment provided. Understanding what works transforms bare environments into genuinely stimulating ones.
Pigs in barren or impoverished environments experience chronic frustration and boredom, leading to redirected behaviours including tail biting, ear biting, and flank sucking. These behaviours can cause serious wounds, infections, and death in affected animals. Meaningful enrichment is not merely a nicety — it addresses fundamental behavioural needs. Research consistently shows that pigs prefer, and welfare is maximised by, enrichments that allow rooting, manipulation, and investigation of complex materials. The welfare science is clear: straw provision alone reduces tail biting dramatically and improves multiple positive welfare indicators. Cost concerns can be addressed through creative use of agricultural by-products. The gap between legislative minimum requirements and genuinely good enrichment remains a significant welfare issue in most pig-producing countries.