The farrowing crate restricts sow movement around parturition to prevent piglet crushing; welfare-positive alternatives including loose farrowing pens are increasingly commercially viable.
The farrowing crate represents one of the most welfare-compromising housing systems remaining in widespread use, restricting a highly motivated animal from expressing fundamental nesting and maternal behaviours during a physiologically demanding period. The commercial justification — preventing crushing of piglets — is genuine but achievable through alternative system designs. Free-farrowing and temporary crating systems demonstrate that reducing crate time without unacceptable piglet loss is commercially achievable.