Farm Animal Welfare

Sow Group Housing: Welfare Improvements in Practice

The transition from individual sow stalls to group housing is a significant welfare improvement, with management adaptations needed to realize its benefits.

Key Facts

Individual gestation stalls were banned in the EU in 2013
Group housing allows sows to perform social behaviors and move freely
Aggression during group formation is a key welfare challenge in sow housing
Electronic sow feeders reduce competition for food in group housing
Some group housing systems achieve better welfare outcomes than others depending on management

Welfare Considerations

The transition from individual stalls to group housing for pregnant sows represents one of the most significant legislative welfare improvements in European farm animal history, affecting millions of pigs. Realizing the welfare benefits of group housing requires good management to reduce aggression during group formation and ensure all sows have adequate access to feed. Well-managed group housing demonstrably improves sow welfare.

What You Can Do

Choose pork from farms using group housing for pregnant sows
Advocate for gestation stall bans to be introduced globally not just in the EU
Support research into best practice group sow housing management
Donate to organizations helping farmers transition from stalls to group housing systems