Pig toy

Overview
We provide a modular kit of enrichment toys for pigs designed for post-weaning and fattening phases. The range includes mounts and toys suitable for pen tubular mounting or chain suspension, intended to stimulate natural investigative and foraging behaviours on farm.

Types of enrichment materials

• Corner attachment with stainless steel chain
• Stainless steel chain with threaded rod attachment
• Pivoting mount (stainless steel chain)
• Wooden toy kit with stainless steel mount (two mount sizes and two sizes of dry northern pine rafter for weaning and fattening)
• Ball to play with, for fixing on a chain
• Plastic or organic toy options, mountable on pen tubular or on a chain

Foraging behaviour and purpose
Foraging and manipulation are natural behaviours for pigs in both conventional and free-range systems. Key motivations include:

• Exploration and interaction with the environment
• Defining activity zones within the pen
• Resting or searching for feed
• Investigative actions performed even when animals are not hungry

Regulatory context
Applicable animal welfare standards require that pigs have continuous access to sufficient manipulable material enabling investigation and manipulation (e.g., straw, hay, wood or mixtures) without compromising health. Sows and gilts must have permanent access to suitable manipulable material; appropriate nesting material is required before farrowing when technically feasible. When severe aggression occurs, causes must be investigated and measures such as providing additional straw or investigation materials should be implemented.

Advantages

• Untreated wood option (edible) for safe manipulation
• Chain and enrichment ball options are highly durable and remain available for animals
• Enrichment ball kit for chain suspension: robust, manipulable and provides dual stimulation (interaction with chain and object)

Description (product elements described)

• Stainless steel chain: length 500 mm
• Dry northern pine rafter for weaning: 45×45 mm, 2.10 m long
• Stainless steel mount for wooden toy (weaning): 50×50 mm, HT 350 mm, L 110 mm
• Dry northern pine rafter for fattening: 75×75 mm, 2.10 m long
• Stainless steel mount for wooden toy (fattening): 80×80 mm, HT 700 mm, L 140 mm
• Enrichment ball: diameter 95 mm with fast link attachment

Technical characteristics / specifications

• Materials: untreated wood (edible), stainless steel chains and mounts, plastic or organic toy options
• Stainless steel chain length: 500 mm
• Enrichment ball diameter: 95 mm (fast link attachment)
• Wood rafter for weaning: 45×45 mm, length 2.10 m
• Wood rafter for fattening: 75×75 mm, length 2.10 m
• Stainless steel mount for wooden toy (weaning): 50×50 mm, height 350 mm, length 110 mm
• Stainless steel mount for wooden toy (fattening): 80×80 mm, height 700 mm, length 140 mm
• Design options: corner and threaded-rod attachments, pivoting mount, kits suitable for tubular pen mounting or chain mounting