Enriching group housed sows.
Enrichment improves animal welfare by enhancing the physical and social environments they live in.
Requirements for enrichment
The Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs (2014) describes enrichment as changing the environment of a pig in a way that benefits the animal’s life. Enrichment is required by this code, which states multiple form of enrichment should be provided in all stages of production, with the goal of improving the welfare.
Environments can be enhanced through several approaches;
- Social enrichment involves contact with other pigs.
- Occupational enrichment encompasses both psychological enrichment and enrichment that encourages exercise.
- Physical enrichment can involve altering the animals’ enclosures or adding accessories such as objects, substrate or permanent structures .
- Sensory enrichment visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and taste stimuli.
- Nutritional enrichment involves either presenting varied or novel food types or changing the method of food delivery.
What is enrichment?
Enrichment refers to the provision of objects or environmental conditions that enhance the physical and psychological welfare of animals. A stimulating environment encourages animals to exhibit natural behaviours such as foraging, exploring, and playing. Enrichment may also help reduce fighting or bullying by providing a form of ‘distraction’ for aggressive sows.
- Commercially available toys.
- Materials such as wood planks or chains hung from the ceiling, walls, or fences.
- Natural bedding such as straw, which encourages the behaviours of foraging and nesting.
- Adding rubber floor mats can help mitigate lameness and encourage movement and play.
- Provision of different edible/nutritional products.
- Positive human interaction during pen checks.
- Installation of a brush or scratching post at head-height.
- Complex enrichment can be as simple as running a chain through a garden hose, which provides a “surprise” object when the hose is destroyed.
Enrichment resources
Deciding on the right kind of enrichment, the amount needed in a pen, and the frequency at which the enrichment is switched out can be complicated. The following resources can help in your decision making and give further insight into the benefits of enrichment.
