The lactation period in pigs involves competing welfare needs of both sow and piglets, with housing design choices that affect pain, mobility, behavioral expression, and piglet survival.
The lactation phase involves genuine welfare trade-offs that make it one of the most complex periods in pig production to manage. The farrowing crate protects piglets from crushing but severely restricts sow behavior during a period when maternal motivation is highest. Sows in crates show elevated cortisol and stereotypic behavior, particularly in the days immediately after farrowing. Loose farrowing systems allow normal maternal behavior including nursing on demand, piglet grooming, and positional responses to distress, but require more intensive management to achieve comparable piglet survival. High-welfare producers have demonstrated that loose farrowing with appropriate nest design, gradual sow training, and attentive stockmanship can achieve both good sow welfare and acceptable piglet survival.