Enrichment Material: Real Variety in Every Single Pig Pen

Enrichment Material: So That Pigs Can Be Pigs

Out of doors, pigs spend half the day rooting, chewing and exploring. In the pen that outlet is missing, and the urge finds another target, usually the ears and tails of their pen mates. Enrichment material redirects that energy and is a firm requirement in pig keeping. Here you will find hessian, bite balls, bite rollers and chains that stand up to whatever a whole group does with them.

What good material has to do

What is called for is material the animals can investigate, move, chew and change, and that is available in sufficient quantity at all times. Organic material does that best, because it gives way and disappears. Hessian sacks at 60 by 110 centimetres and hessian cloths at 160 by 60 centimetres can be hung up and are taken apart fibre by fibre, which keeps the group busy for days. What matters is that every animal can get to it: spread several offerings around the pen instead of hanging everything in one spot, otherwise the higher ranking pigs take the place over.

Bite balls, rollers and hanging

Alongside that, hard wearing objects keep the pen busy. The natural rubber bite ball springs back when bitten and so stays interesting, while the bite roller and bite cylinder turn away under the snout. For suckling piglets there is a bite ring made from biodegradable material, and for older groups the BiteStar pig toy with its hanging cap and chain. Stainless steel hanging chains are more than a fixing, because many animals play with the chain itself. Hang the objects at snout height so that they swing freely and do not lie in the muck. A stainless steel rubbing wall covers the need for body care on top of that.

Frequently asked questions

Why is a chain on its own not enough?
Metal can neither be chewed nor changed, so it quickly loses its appeal. What is required is organic, changeable material. The chain is a sensible addition and the practical way to hang hessian or bite objects.

How often do I need to put fresh hessian in?
As soon as only remnants are left hanging, new material belongs in the pen. In finishing that is a few days to two weeks depending on the group. Build the change firmly into the daily routine and the supply never runs out.

Does enrichment really help against tail biting?
It is an important building block, but not the only one. If the climate, stocking density, water supply or feed are not right, tail biting still occurs. So always look at the whole environment of the pen.