Pigs are intelligent, inquisitive animals with strong drives to root, explore, and socialise. Enriched housing designs can dramatically improve their welfare in commercial settings.
Meeting pigs' behavioural needs is not a luxury — it is fundamental to their welfare and is strongly linked to production outcomes. Pigs in barren, overcrowded environments develop abnormal behaviours including tail biting, bar biting, and aggression, causing injury and distress. Effective enrichment — particularly materials pigs can root and manipulate — reduces these problems significantly. Housing systems that allow pigs to express natural behaviours represent both an ethical imperative and sound farm management.