Research into enrichment complexity reveals that increasing the diversity and challenge of enrichment materials significantly improves pig welfare beyond simple provision.
The science of pig enrichment has moved beyond simply providing any object to understanding what kinds of enrichment genuinely meet behavioural needs. Research shows that complexity, novelty, and rooting-appropriate materials matter enormously. Farms that invest in this science-based approach to enrichment - with rotation schedules, appropriate materials, and monitoring of interaction - deliver substantially better welfare than those providing the minimum required.