Pig Pen Design and Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Pen design significantly affects pig welfare outcomes including aggression, injury rates, air quality and access to resources.

Key Facts

Floor space allowance is the most studied pen design factor, with benefits at higher allowances
Solid flooring provides better foot health than fully slatted floors
Drainage design affects manure management and hygiene, impacting skin and hoof health
Enrichment mounting points and positions affect whether enrichment is used by pigs
Drinker and feeder design and number affect feeding competition and water access
Pen shape affects social dynamics - longer pens reduce dominance-based resource guarding
Air quality including ammonia levels affects respiratory health and comfort

Welfare Considerations

Pen design shapes the welfare environment for pigs throughout their lives. Many pen design features are determined at capital investment stage and persist for decades, making initial design decisions highly consequential for long-term welfare. Evidence-based pen design guidelines exist but are not universally implemented. Supporting welfare standards that specify design requirements alongside outcome measures can drive welfare improvement at the system level.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes specifying evidence-based pen design requirements
Advocate for welfare assessment that includes pen design alongside behavioural outcome measures
Choose pork from certified systems with documented higher pen space and design standards
Support research into optimising pen design for pig welfare across commercial conditions