Farmed Animals

Pig Floor Design and Welfare

Flooring type in pig housing significantly affects lameness, foot health, resting comfort and overall welfare.

Key Facts

Fully slatted concrete floors cause more foot lesions than partially slatted or bedded systems
Pigs spend 80% of their time lying — comfortable flooring is a major welfare factor
Deep bedded systems provide comfort, rooting substrate and thermal insulation simultaneously
Transitioning from fully slatted to partially slatted or bedded flooring dramatically reduces lameness prevalence

Welfare Considerations

Flooring is one of the most fundamental determinants of pig welfare in intensive systems. Slatted concrete that enables easy manure removal also causes painful foot lesions and prevents comfortable lying. Pigs on appropriate bedded or partially slatted floors show lower rates of lameness, better body condition and more natural behavior. The welfare case for flooring reform is clear — the challenge is economic cost and practical implementation at scale.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare certifications requiring appropriate flooring standards
Advocate for flooring requirements in national pig welfare legislation
Choose pork from farms with documented flooring welfare management
Support research into cost-effective welfare-positive flooring alternatives