Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around. Phase-out campaigns have achieved significant legislative progress, but implementation is slow and inconsistent globally.
The gestation crate is one of the most studied and debated welfare issues in modern agriculture. The scientific evidence against it is overwhelming: sows unable to turn around, socialise, or perform species-specific behaviours experience chronic frustration and psychological suffering that manifests in stereotypic behaviour, physiological stress, and accelerated physical deterioration. The legislative and voluntary phase-outs that have occurred represent genuine welfare progress, but global implementation is highly uneven. The welfare imperative is clear: pregnant sows are cognitively complex animals whose confinement to crates that prevent basic movement is ethically indefensible given available alternatives. Continued consumer and retail pressure, alongside strengthened regulatory enforcement, is needed to accelerate the remaining transition.