Individual gestation stalls confine pregnant sows for the duration of pregnancy. The welfare evidence against this system has driven bans across many jurisdictions.
Gestation crates represent perhaps the most well-documented welfare failure in modern intensive pig production. The scientific evidence is unambiguous: sows confined in crates throughout pregnancy cannot perform fundamental behaviors including turning, nesting, and social interaction. They develop stereotypic behaviors from chronic frustration, show elevated stress hormones, and suffer musculoskeletal deterioration from inability to exercise. The welfare case for abolition drove EU legislation and has driven significant voluntary commitments from major food companies. Group housing alternatives with electronic individual feeding stations can achieve equivalent production outcomes while allowing sows to express normal behaviors. The primary barrier to faster adoption is transition cost, not technical feasibility.