Farm Animals

Pig Production System Welfare Comparison

Comparing welfare outcomes across pig production systems - from intensive indoor to extensive outdoor - reveals trade-offs that inform consumer choices and policy decisions.

Key Facts

Outdoor systems allow natural rooting and foraging behaviour impossible indoors
Indoor systems may provide better protection from extreme weather and predation
Deep straw systems provide intermediate welfare with indoor space and natural substrate
Key welfare indicators including tail biting are less common in lower-density outdoor systems
System choice affects multiple welfare dimensions simultaneously with no single best option

Welfare Considerations

No production system is perfect on all welfare dimensions. Understanding specific trade-offs enables more informed consumer choices and policy development than simple system labels.

What You Can Do

Look beyond system labels to understand specific welfare standards in certification schemes
Support systems addressing key welfare indicators including tail biting and enrichment
Raise awareness that all production systems have welfare trade-offs
Advocate for welfare outcome measurement rather than system prescription in regulations