Livestock

Gestation Crates: The Most Restrictive Farm Animal Confinement

Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around for their entire pregnancies, causing severe welfare harm.

Key Facts

Gestation crates measure approximately 2x7 feet, smaller than the sow's own body
Sows spend their entire 16-week pregnancies unable to turn around in standard US facilities
The EU banned gestation crates except in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy in 2013
9 US states have banned gestation crates; major food companies have made phase-out commitments
Sows in gestation crates develop severe stereotypic behaviors including bar-biting and head-weaving

Welfare Considerations

Gestation crates represent confinement so extreme that the animal literally cannot change position. Sows cannot turn around, cannot engage in rooting or foraging, cannot form social relationships, and exist in a state of permanent physical restriction. The psychological consequences are severe and well-documented: stereotypic behaviors in 80%+ of crated sows indicate chronic frustration and psychological suffering equivalent to clinical depression.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products certified as gestation-crate-free
Advocate for gestation crate bans in your state if not yet enacted
Support corporate cage-free and crate-free commitment campaigns
Reduce pork consumption and explore plant-based alternatives
Donate to Humane Society campaigns on gestation crate phase-out