Providing appropriate rooting substrate is one of the most impactful single welfare interventions for pigs.
Rooting substrate provision addresses one of the most fundamental unmet needs in commercial pig farming. The motivation to root is intrinsic and cannot be reduced by other forms of enrichment — pigs will root on wire floors, on concrete, on each other, in the absence of appropriate substrate. Providing adequate rooting material allows this core behavior to be expressed functionally, reducing frustration-related redirected behaviors and associated welfare harms. The cost of providing rooting substrate is low — the barrier to adoption is not economics but management complexity in facilities not designed for litter. Yet the welfare return per unit cost is among the highest available in commercial pig farming.