Group farrowing allows sows to farrow and nurse piglets with greater freedom of movement than conventional crates. Understanding the welfare trade-offs helps drive better systems.
The farrowing crate prevents sows from performing biologically important behaviors including nesting, turning, and exploring, causing significant welfare harms to millions of sows globally. Group farrowing systems represent a welfare improvement for sows but require higher management skills to achieve acceptable piglet survival rates. Well-designed systems with individual nest areas, appropriate bedding, and experienced stockpersons can achieve good welfare outcomes for both sows and piglets. The transition away from farrowing crates is technically feasible and economically achievable, making continued widespread crate use primarily a function of industry inertia rather than necessity.