Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Pen Design for Play and Positive Welfare

Pen design can facilitate or prevent positive welfare experiences including play behaviour in pigs of all ages.

Key Facts

Play including locomotor play and object play is a strong indicator of positive welfare in pigs
Pen design features including space, substrate and obstacles affect play frequency substantially
Piglets in enriched pens play more and show less aggression than those in barren pens
Physical features including ramps, balls and rooting areas increase play behaviour frequency
Positive welfare indicators like play are increasingly incorporated in welfare assessment tools

Welfare Considerations

Play is not merely entertaining for pigs - it is an indicator of positive welfare states and is more frequent in environments that allow it. Designing for positive welfare rather than merely minimising suffering requires active consideration of what enables play and exploration.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards incorporating positive welfare indicators including play monitoring
Advocate for pen design research and standards that facilitate rather than prevent play
Choose pork from certification schemes with positive welfare requirements including play provision