The transition from individual gestation crates to group housing for pregnant sows represents one of the most significant welfare improvements in modern pig farming, though implementation quality varies widely.
The gestation crate — a metal stall so small a sow cannot turn around — was the standard housing for pregnant pigs for decades. Housed in isolation for most of their reproductive lives, sows in crates showed profound frustration behaviours and physical deterioration. Group housing systems allow sows to move, socialise, and express basic behaviours. They are not without challenges: mixing of unfamiliar sows causes aggression and injuries that must be carefully managed. But the welfare improvement over total individual confinement is substantial and the evidence base supporting group housing is strong.