Research on pig enrichment has revealed that novelty and variety are as important as the presence of enrichment itself — static enrichment quickly loses its welfare benefit through habituation.
The science of pig enrichment has moved well beyond the question of whether to provide it to the more nuanced question of how to provide it effectively. The habituation problem is central: an enrichment object that produces significant welfare benefit on day one may produce almost none by day three. This means that welfare assessments taken at a single time point can dramatically overestimate the benefit of static enrichment programs. For farm managers, the practical implication is that enrichment requires active management — a rotation schedule, a stock of different materials, and staff trained to observe engagement levels and adjust accordingly. The welfare gains from effective enrichment rotation are substantial and well-documented; the barrier is implementation rather than evidence.