Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Group Housing Research

Research on group housing for pigs reveals both the welfare benefits and management challenges of different housing systems. Evidence guides welfare-positive system selection.

Key Facts

Group housing allows more natural social behaviour than individual housing for all life stages
Management challenges including aggression and resource competition require careful system design
ESF systems reduce competition at feeding in group gestation systems
Research shows group housing welfare outcomes depend heavily on management quality
Best practice guidelines from research are available for most group housing configurations

Welfare Considerations

Group housing provides welfare benefits when well-managed but requires expertise and appropriate system design. Research evidence enables selection of systems and management approaches that maximise welfare benefits.

What You Can Do

Support farms adopting evidence-based group housing approaches
Advocate for research evidence to be incorporated in pig welfare standards
Learn about group housing research and its welfare implications
Choose welfare-certified pork from farms with verified group housing management