Enrichment for farmed pigs is required by EU legislation but its effectiveness depends on enrichment type, complexity and novelty, with most commercial enrichment falling below optimal.
Enrichment compliance does not equal enrichment value. Many farms provide legally compliant items that fail to satisfy pigs' foraging motivations. Rooting substrate - particularly straw - is the gold standard enrichment as it provides a complex, changeable material that pigs can manipulate indefinitely. The welfare dividend from effective enrichment includes reduced tail biting, improved social behaviour and lower stress indicators.