Impact of housing on the welfare of the growing pig

The establishment of the social hierarchy within a group of pigs is achieved through numerous aggressive acts. Improvements in pen design or environmental enrichment appear to be less effective in limiting theaggression observed when pigs are grouped together, than simply reducing the number of times pigs of different origins are brought together. Limited pen-space per animal lead to more frequent aggressive interactionsbetween pigs and both limited and excessive pen-space lead to a decrease in growth rate. Floor type, as well as the thermal environment, play a role in thermoregulatory activity. The presence of straw candiversify exploratory activity. The experiments required to study this subject need to integrate pen-space, group size and feasibility. This importance of environmental consequences should not be forgotten.