Abstract: Rooting Material Must Fit the Pig

Type and Average of Pigs on the Farm

The farm maintains approximately 960 grower-finishers.

Farming System

Not specified.

Description and Evaluation of the Good Practice

The farm has a large assortment of rooting materials transported around in a feed wagon: chains, sisal rope (always 20 cm lying on the floor), old feed chains, a basket to fill with straw, balls, wooden sticks, jute sacks and more. Each pen also has an automatic roughage dispenser released once a day; the farmer emphasises that the taste must be good, but not better than the regular dry feed. When pigs arrive, they are provided with a "Welcoming feed" consisting of salt, acid, toxin binders, vitamin C, magnesium and straw to support a smooth transition and reduce stress. The farm's philosophy is that one rooting material does not fit all pigs. The farmer considers it essential to find the material that fits each specific group, and to try to predict what will stress them in the future, responding proactively.

Farm Context

• Environmental Enrichment The farm offers balls, chains, sisal rope, old feed chains and more as manipulable objects. Straw is provided as bedding material twice a day for 7–10 days after arrival, and for longer in pens where interest remains high.
• Pigs Tail docking rate is 0%.
• Housing and Management Characteristics Stocking density is 1.0 m²/pig from 30–115 kg, with 20 pigs per pen. The flooring is fully slatted with diffuse aisle ventilation. No outdoor access is provided. Pigs are fed dry meal ad libitum plus roughage from one feeding automat per pen shared by 20 pigs. Water is provided via a large drinking cup and water nipples.
• Management Practices Pigs are mixed on transport and divided randomly into pens. Observation is carried out daily; if rooting material disappears quickly, the farmer recognises a problem and intervenes with a different rooting material or feed in a small trough in the pen. The intervention protocol is simple: as soon as there is one hanging tail, extra rooting material is provided.
• Economic Analysis When the farmer started producing pigs with long tails, an extra payment of €15 per pig was received; in 2024 this rose to €21 per pig. The project ended in 2024. Most rooting materials can be cleaned and reused; sisal ropes, jute sacks, straw and intervention feed represent an additional cost.
• Environmental Analysis More space for the pig results in a lower manure quantity and a higher ammonia emission per pig.
• Replicable Benefits and Relevance for Other EU Countries This good practice is easy to implement overnight and across countries.