The farrowing crate — used to confine sows during and after birth — is one of the most contested practices in pig farming. Evidence-based alternatives are improving welfare without unacceptable piglet losses.
The farrowing crate debate is one of the longest-running in farm animal welfare, partly because both sides have genuine welfare arguments — sow welfare versus piglet survival. The emerging evidence from alternative systems is increasingly positive: well-designed free-farrowing pens with sloped floors, guardrails, and appropriate nesting material can achieve piglet mortality rates comparable to crates while dramatically improving sow welfare. The technical barriers to transition are diminishing; the barriers now are primarily economic and political.