Slippery concrete floors in intensive pig housing cause falls, injuries, and chronic lameness that are largely preventable through appropriate flooring design.
Slippery flooring in intensive pig housing is a specific, addressable welfare problem that causes preventable injury. Pigs on smooth concrete fall, scramble to regain footing, and sustain knee abrasions and leg injuries. Young piglets are particularly vulnerable. The solution is well understood — grooved concrete or rubberized mats provide adequate grip — but adoption requires producer investment in retrofitting existing facilities. Welfare standards that specify minimum floor surface requirements and audit compliance are the most effective driver of improvement.