The flooring and bedding systems used in pig production have significant effects on health, behaviour, injury rates, and overall welfare. Moving beyond bare concrete is one of the most impactful practical welfare improvements available.
Flooring type is among the most impactful single variables affecting commercial pig welfare, yet the majority of global pork production still uses bare concrete or slatted systems that prevent natural rooting behaviour and cause physical injury. The economic argument against bedding — manure management costs, capital investment — is real but solvable through deep-litter system design and appropriate market premiums. The welfare gains from bedded systems are multiple and simultaneous: reduced lameness, reduced tail biting requiring painful docking, improved thermoregulation, reduced aggression, and better expression of natural rooting behaviour. Regulatory minimums in most jurisdictions do not require bedding, making consumer and retailer pressure the primary lever in most markets.