Breeding sows endure some of the most severe welfare challenges in pig production across their productive lives, from gestation crates to farrowing crates to repeated pregnancies.
Breeding sow welfare must be viewed across the full reproductive lifecycle rather than at any single point. The cumulative toll of gestation crate confinement, farrowing, lactation, and weaning repeated 5-7 times causes progressive welfare deterioration. By the end of her productive life, a breeding sow is typically severely lame, thin, and in pain. The welfare of spent sows — their final transport to slaughter — is often particularly poor. A lifecycle approach to sow welfare requires management that maintains physical condition and reduces cumulative stress across all production stages.