Pig Pen Flooring: Welfare Impacts and Alternatives

How the surface pigs live on affects their health, comfort, and behaviour, and what flooring systems best support pig welfare.

Key Facts

Concrete slatted floors are the most common pig flooring but cause significant welfare problems
Leg injuries, foot lesions, and joint damage are all more prevalent on hard surfaces
Straw bedding allows pigs to express natural rooting and nesting behaviours
Partially slatted floors with solid lying areas represent a significant welfare improvement
Bedded systems reduce aggression and stereotypic behaviours in pigs

Welfare Considerations

The floor a pig stands on for its entire life has profound effects on its physical and psychological wellbeing. Fully slatted concrete systems, while efficient for waste management, prevent pigs from engaging in the rooting and exploration that are central to their behavioural repertoire. Foot and leg problems are among the most significant welfare issues in commercial pig production, and many of these are directly linked to flooring. Transitioning to bedded, partially slatted, or rubber-matted systems represents a substantial, evidence-based improvement in pig welfare.

What You Can Do

Support higher-welfare pork certifications that require bedded or enriched housing
Choose pork products from producers using straw-based or deep-litter systems
Advocate for flooring standards in pig welfare legislation and industry codes
If keeping pigs, provide rubber mats in lying areas to reduce joint pressure
Ask retailers and food companies to commit to improved flooring standards in their supply chains