Enrichment provision is legally required in pig farming across the EU, but the type and novelty of enrichment dramatically affects its welfare benefit.
The legal requirement for manipulable material in EU pig housing has produced wide variation in practice — from deep straw bedding that fully satisfies rooting needs to a single hanging chain that provides seconds of interest before pigs return to redirected behaviors. Welfare scientists consistently find that substrate enrichment (straw, woodchip, compost) provides far superior welfare outcomes compared to hanging objects. The key features of effective pig enrichment are novelty, complexity, and substrates that allow rooting and foraging — the behaviors pigs are most highly motivated to perform. Regular enrichment rotation prevents habituation and maintains welfare benefits over time.