The gestation crate confines pregnant sows for the majority of their reproductive lives, preventing normal movement and behavior in a system that is facing growing legal and market-driven reform.
Gestation crates cause chronic welfare harm to sows across their reproductive lives. Confined sows cannot perform motivated behaviors including turning around, walking, rooting, or maintaining normal postures. The resulting frustration leads to stereotypic behaviors including repetitive bar-biting and head-weaving that indicate welfare compromise. Cardiovascular deconditioning, muscle weakness, and increased bone fractures at slaughter have been documented in crated sows compared to those allowed movement. The welfare case against gestation crates is among the clearest in farm animal science, and the growing legal and market-driven momentum toward group housing reflects both ethical concern and consumer preference for higher welfare systems.