Feed composition, presentation, and enrichment all affect pig welfare beyond basic nutritional adequacy. Understanding how feeding strategies can be used to improve welfare alongside nutrition is important for progressive farmers.
Nutritional welfare in pigs extends far beyond ensuring adequate nutrients for growth. Pigs in commercial systems are fed efficiently but not satisfyingly - meals are consumed quickly, leaving animals hungry and behaviourally under-stimulated for most of the day. Feed enrichment approaches that extend foraging time, increase dietary fibre for satiety, and provide foraging opportunities through scatter feeding or puzzle feeders improve both subjective welfare (time in positive motivational states) and measurable outcomes (reduced aggression, lower tail biting, improved leg health from increased activity). These interventions often also improve productivity outcomes, making them commercially viable alongside their welfare benefits.