The EU ban on individual sow gestation stalls was a landmark welfare achievement; group housing systems for pregnant sows present their own management challenges that require skill to implement effectively.
The transition from gestation stalls to group housing was unambiguously welfare-positive, ending the complete physical restriction of sows for up to 16 weeks of each reproductive cycle. However, group housing is not automatically welfare-positive — poorly managed group systems with inadequate space, feeding systems, or mixing protocols can result in chronic subordinate sow welfare problems from competition and aggression. Best practice group housing management requires investment in space, feeding infrastructure, and stockmanship.