Pigs in the growing and finishing phase of commercial production are highly intelligent animals housed in barren environments that fail to meet their behavioural needs, causing boredom, aggression, and significant welfare compromise.
The behavioural needs of growing pigs are poorly met in standard commercial systems. Intelligent, curious animals with nothing to investigate in a barren pen redirect their exploratory behaviour onto pen-mates, causing painful injuries. The industry response — tail docking to reduce injury severity — exemplifies a system that modifies the animal to suit the environment rather than adapting the environment to meet the animal's needs. Simple, low-cost interventions like straw or suspended objects demonstrably reduce welfare-compromising behaviour and improve outcomes for all pigs in the pen.