Providing bedding to farmed pigs is one of the most effective and economical welfare improvements available. Bedding addresses core behavioral needs and dramatically reduces stress.
Confining pigs on bare concrete slatted floors denies them one of their most fundamental behavioral needs: rooting. This frustration leads to redirected oral behaviors including tail biting, which causes painful injuries requiring treatment or culling. Providing bedding material is arguably the single most impactful welfare improvement for housed pigs. It addresses thermal comfort, behavioral expression, and social stress simultaneously. The industry has historically resisted bedding on grounds of cost and manure management, but evidence shows that the welfare benefits are substantial and the economic barriers are surmountable with proper system design.