Concrete slatted floors are standard in commercial pig housing but cause significant lameness, injury, and chronic pain in pigs across all production stages.
Floor design is one of the most fundamental determinants of pig welfare in commercial systems. Concrete slats concentrate waste efficiently but create surfaces that cause continuous micro-injury to feet and legs. Lame sows experience chronic pain that affects every aspect of their lives — feeding, mating, farrowing, and nursing. Simple interventions including rubber mat overlays on high-traffic areas and deeper bedding provision substantially reduce lameness incidence. The most welfare-positive systems use deep straw bedding that allows rooting, burrowing, and cushioned lying across all life stages.