Open-air pig production systems offer significant welfare benefits through freedom of movement, rooting behaviour expression, and environmental enrichment, alongside specific challenges requiring management.
Outdoor pig production delivers fundamental welfare benefits through freedom to express natural behaviours including rooting, ranging, and social interaction without the spatial constraints of indoor systems. These benefits are genuine and substantial. However, outdoor welfare is not automatically superior - poor management of outdoor systems creates welfare problems through nutritional inadequacy, parasite burden, and exposure stress. Outdoor production welfare excellence requires high stockperson skill and attention.