Pigs are among the most intelligent farm animals, with cognitive abilities comparable to dogs and young children. Meeting their behavioral needs through enrichment is essential to their welfare in any farming system.
Pig enrichment requirements in law are often met in form but not in substance. Chains bolted to walls give pigs something to bite but fail to engage their complex behavioral drives. Pigs need to root — to use their snouts to investigate and manipulate substrate — as a core behavioral need. Providing rooting materials like straw, compost, or earth satisfies this need, reduces aggression, and improves welfare measurably. Higher welfare certification schemes that specify substrate requirements represent a meaningful advance over basic legal minimums. Consumer demand for certified higher welfare pork drives industry adoption of genuine enrichment.