Pen enrichment improves welfare and prevents damaging behaviour
About this expertise
In short- Stimulates natural behaviour
- Improves animal welfare
- Knowledge by animal species
In humane livestock farming, housing is designed to allow natural behaviour. This allows farm animals to live the best life possible. WUR conducted a lot of research on pen enrichment to improve species-specific behaviour in various animal species. That also prevents damaging behaviour such as feather pecking and tail biting.
Our researchers are very knowledgeable about adding elements to animal enclosures that stimulate the animals' natural behaviour and improve their welfare. For example, chickens should be able to eat and drink without restriction when it is light, roost on platforms or bars and actively scratch or dust bathe in a stimulating and enriched environment.
Proper pen enrichment can help prevent damaging behaviour such as feather pecking in poultry and tail biting in pigs. Feather pecking stems from scavenging behaviour. If there is not enough good soil material, the chicken will peck elsewhere. And we know from research that tail biting in pigs increases when insufficient rooting and foraging material is available.
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For example, alfalfa bales, pecking blocks, hay and straw bales and sufficient dry and loose litter allow chickens to express their natural behaviour.
Pigs like to dig, root and forage. This exploring is essential natural behaviour. Their housing must facilitate this, through edible enrichment and bedding, for example, and the substrate must also be suitable for this purpose.
Farrowing sows want to build a nest when they are about to give birth to their piglets. This must be possible in the barn, otherwise it will lead to stress. The farrowing sow must therefore be able to move freely and have enough suitable nesting material. Housing pigs together that do not know each other also creates stress. Such mixing should be avoided as much as possible.
In many barns, cows need more space. Sufficient feeding and lying areas reduce competition between animals and lower stress. In addition, cows' lying areas should be designed to allow them to stand and lie stretched out unobstructed.
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Do you have a question about pen enrichment for farm animals or opportunities to work with us? Please get in touch.
FA (Fleur) Hoorweg, MSc
Researcher Animal Welfare