Farrowing crates — individual stalls used to house sows during and after birth — prevent piglet crushing deaths but severely restrict sow movement, creating one of the most contested welfare trade-offs in pig production.
Farrowing crates represent one of the clearest examples of a welfare dilemma in livestock production: one animal's welfare (the sow's freedom of movement) is traded against another's (the piglet's survival). However, the framing of this as a binary choice between crates and high piglet mortality is increasingly challenged by alternative system research. Well-designed loose farrowing systems with appropriate pen design, genetic selection for good mothering ability, and skilled stockmanship can achieve both good sow welfare and acceptable piglet survival. The continued use of crates primarily reflects cost and habit rather than necessity.