Wild boar sows show complex farrowing behaviour including nest building and protective care that illuminates what farmed pigs are denied and raises questions about wild population management practices.
Wild boar sow farrowing behaviour provides a biological reference point for understanding what farmed pigs are motivated to do before giving birth. The nest-building drive is so strong in wild boars that motivated sows will travel kilometres to find appropriate nest sites. In comparison, farmed sows in farrowing crates cannot turn around, build nests or perform any of the preparatory behaviours that have evolved over millions of years. The wild sow farrowing system — isolation, nest building, intensive maternal care — contrasts starkly with industrial farrowing systems in virtually every dimension. This comparison does not resolve the practical challenges of commercial piglet production but clarifies what welfare compromise farrowing crates represent.