Pigs are intelligent omnivores with a strong drive to forage and explore. Enrichment that satisfies foraging behavior dramatically improves welfare in commercial farming systems.
The foraging drive in pigs is so strong that when it cannot be expressed appropriately, it will be redirected in ways that harm pen-mates and the individual. The evidence for straw as effective pig enrichment is robust and the costs are relatively low, yet many commercial systems continue to use barren concrete or slatted floors with minimal enrichment. This gap between evidence and practice is a regulatory and cultural failure with significant welfare consequences for billions of animals annually. Consumer pressure and certification schemes are the most direct levers for change.