Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Outdoor Access and Natural Behaviour

The welfare benefits of outdoor access for pigs and the challenges of outdoor pig farming systems.

Key Facts

Outdoor pigs can root, forage, and engage in natural exploration behaviour
Outdoor systems reduce boredom and stereotypic behaviour significantly
Pasture rotation is essential for parasite management in outdoor pig systems
Weather extremes require appropriate shelter provision for outdoor pigs
Outdoor pig systems can achieve high welfare scores on animal-based indicators

Welfare Considerations

Outdoor access enables pigs to express a wide range of natural behaviours that are suppressed in intensive housing, delivering significant welfare benefits.

What You Can Do

Choose outdoor reared pork products where available
Support farms transitioning to outdoor or enriched indoor pig systems
Advocate for enrichment and outdoor access standards in pig welfare legislation