Pigs are among the most cognitively complex farm animals, yet the conditions in which most are raised fall far short of meeting their behavioral and social needs.
The gap between pig cognitive complexity and standard farming conditions is among the largest of any farm animal species. Highly intelligent animals confined in barren concrete pens with no enrichment, unable to root, wallow, or form stable social groups, develop chronic boredom, frustration, and aggression. Gestation crates prevent even turning around. Enrichment — even simple objects like chains or balls — measurably reduces abnormal behaviors and improves welfare.