Exploration, rooting and manipulation behaviors are deeply embedded in the
porcine psyche. What happens if these instinctive behaviors are thwarted by
restricted movement or concrete-and-steel non-manipulatable surroundings?

European Commission Pig Welfare Directive 2001/93/EC came into force in
January 2003 and requires that pigs must have "...permanent access to a
sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and
manipulation activities, such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom
compost, peat."

In geographical areas, or housing types, where straw is not feasible the
United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is
recommending that hogs are provided with balls to play with. Old footballs,
basketballs or commercial pig balls can be used. There is also a special
"Edinburgh Foodball" device which simulates natural foraging. It is
suggested that the balls are changed periodically to retain their novelty
interest and avoid premature destruction. Different colors or sizes or
materials can be used for maintaining exploratory interest. Potentially
toxic or gut-obstructive devices, such as old car tyres, are not permitted.
Traditionally British farmers have hung up chains or provided old feed sacks
to keep hogs from becoming bored and turning to vices like tail-biting,
ear-biting or navel-sucking. Mark White, past president of the Pig
Veterinary Society recommends softwood logs, ships' buoys and plastic pipes.
Boat fenders are also used successfully by some hog farmers.

Pork quality assurance scheme inspectors are helping to enforce the new EU
rule. They are also keen to promote "high-welfare" branding of pork.

The new EU rule is backed by an accumulation of research findings showing
that "environmental enrichment" reduces aggressive and stereotypical
behaviors whereas boring and restrictive environments can predispose to
stress, fighting and vices. A paper about to be published in Applied Animal
Behaviour Science adds to the growing doubts about the efficacy of tail
docking as an effective preventive measure for tailbiting. A UK ethology
group study found that adding straw to the creep area once or more per day
decreased the risk of tail biting 10-fold whereas tail docking was
associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of tail biting.

A recent review of environmental enrichment (in "The Biology of Animal
Stress") by two American zoologists it was concluded that in a wide range of
farm, laboratory and zoo animals enriching aversive housing environments
increases the diversity of natural behaviors, decreases physiological stress
parameters, decreases abnormal and aggressive behaviors and facilitates
coping with sporadic, stress-inducing events.

Varley and Wiseman, writing in the textbook "The Weaner Pig - Nutrition and
management", suggest that some genotypes may need "environmental enrichment"
more than others.

Weblinks
---------
The Biology of Animal Stress:
http://members.farmline.com/stress/s...KS/BIOLOGY.HTM
"Four Legs Good" - A Review of Pig Behaviour:
http://www.pigjournal.co.uk/content/...bstracts.htm#7
"Animal Welfare & Meat Science" by Neville Gregory & Temple Grandin
http://www.pighealth.com/MEDIA/P/BOO...IL/GREGORY.HTM
"The Weaner Pig: Nutrition and Management":
http://www.pighealth.com/weaner.htm


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Pig Disease Information Centre
Website: www.pighealth.com
Members of AHIS (Animal Health Information Specialists) UK & Ireland
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