Manipulable materials
Manipulable materials satisfy a range of behavioural needs for pigs, according to a scientific opinion, published by the European Food Safety Authority’s Animal Health and Welfare Panel. It found that when these needs were not met, there was an increased risk of tail-biting, particularly in weaners and rearing pigs. Analysis of a large dataset in Finland showed that, with undocked pigs, the use of straw was associated with reduced tail-biting prevalence.