Gestating sows are restricted fed to limit excessive body fat but this results in a sustained level of hunger. Hungry sows remain active and aggression both during feeding and at other times of the day may increase. Hunger is also a cause of stereotypic or pen-directed oral behaviours. This study examined two management methods that could be used to reduce hunger related aggression and pen-directed oral behaviours. The sows were housed in groups of 7 on solid floored pens with ample room (3.7 m2/sow). Five groups were assigned to each of four treatment combinations, representing a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Sows were either bedded with straw or not. They were either fed a high fibre diet (including sugar beet pulp), or equivalent energy in a low fibre diet. Feed was dropped into the pen once a day in such a way that it was widely dispersed throughout the lying area. Sows bedded on straw spent more time standing during the 2 hours after feeding, and had higher levels of aggression compared to those without straw. However, the presence of straw reduced the incidence of pen-directed oral behaviour. Thus, straw was beneficial in terms of pen-directed behaviour, but resulted in greater aggression. High fibre diets did not affect aggression when compared to standard diets, but sows on high-fibre diets were less active several hours after feeding and less involved in pen-directed oral behaviour. Both straw and high-fibre diets appear to reduce pen-directed diets, probably through a decrease in hunger, but straw bedding increased the level of aggression in floor fed sows.