Why Do Pigs Wallow?
I’m sure you’ve seen pictures or videos of pigs in the mud. It's probably the most common depiction of our snouted friends.
A muddy area used by pigs is called a “wallow.” When pigs wade, bathe, and splash in the mud, it is called “wallowing.” Wallowing is a fundamental survival behavior for pigs, serving as their primary defense against heat and parasites. Pigs lack functional sweat glands, so they rely on mud to regulate their body temperature through evaporative cooling. (Think of a mud mask!) This "mud bath" provides a lasting cooling effect that water alone cannot offer, while also acting as a natural sunscreen to protect their sensitive skin from painful UV rays.
If you don’t designate a wallow area, the pigs will make one for themselves.
Why Pigs Need a Wallow
Temperature Regulation: Wallowing can lower a pig's body temperature by up to about 3°F. The caked-on mud evaporates slowly, providing prolonged relief from the heat, especially the thick heat we get here in SC.
Parasite Control: A thick layer of mud acts as a suffocating barrier for external parasites like ticks and lice, which are trapped and removed as the mud dries and falls off.
Skin Health & Protection: Mud serves as a natural sunscreen for pigs. It is essential for preventing sunburn.
Social & Behavioral Health: Wallowing together is a vital social behavior that encourages bonding within a group, and provides mental enrichment by allowing pigs to express their natural instincts amongst themselves.
Sources:
Article: 5 Reasons Why Pigs Need Mud -World Animal Protection
Article: The protective role of wallowing against heat stress - ScienceDirect
Article: Review of wallowing in pigs - ResearchGate
Common Wallow Solutions
Natural Dugout Wallows: Most pigs are happy to do the work themselves. Simply pick a shady spot and add water as it dries out every day. Over time, pigs will use their snouts and hooves to root out a depression and their bodies compress the mud to hold the water more effectively as time goes on.
Portable Wallow Tubs: For smaller pigs or rotation-based grazing, large heavy-duty tubs or rubber stock tanks can serve as "cool-down" stations, though they lack the benefits of real mud.
Kiddie Pools: We don’t recommend these as the pigs can crack them very easily. It is just a waste of time and money.
Our NEWEST solution: plastic/rubber mats under the mud. We dug down and covered the mats back up in the removed dirt, then made mud baths. The wallow lasts for about 2 days now! It is working SO well, and we are extremely pleased. Shout out to Chris for the awesome idea! (And for dragging the big sheets of rubber around!)
See the video HERE!
Our tips for a wallow:
Place the wallow area in the shade, to prevent the sun from heating it up and also evaporating it too quickly.
Get a drip hose and leave it to run out the wallow. Then you can turn it on from the spigot and let it run for a while without worrying about access to mud being inconsistent.
Move the wallow around regularly to allow the soil to rest, dry out, and regenerate.