Providing outdoor access for pigs offers significant welfare benefits through rooting opportunity, exploration and space but requires careful management of environmental and disease risks.
Outdoor pig systems offer genuine welfare advantages over intensive indoor systems by allowing expression of rooting and exploration behaviours on natural substrates. The behavioural freedom provided by outdoor access measurably improves welfare indicators including reduced stereotypic behaviour and increased positive social interaction. However outdoor access is not automatically welfare-positive - overstocked paddocks with no vegetation, inadequate shelter and compromised soil welfare create their own problems. The best outdoor systems balance behavioural freedom with rotation management, shelter provision and appropriate stocking density.