Farrowing crates prevent sow movement during and after birth, protecting piglets from crushing but causing significant welfare harm to sows. Welfare-positive alternatives are available and increasingly adopted.
The farrowing crate debate involves genuine welfare tensions. Sow welfare is seriously compromised by weeks of immobilization during a period when the nesting drive is most intense. Conversely, piglet crushing is a real welfare and productivity concern. Free-farrowing systems with protective design features — including piglet creep areas, nest boxes, and sloped rails — can achieve both sow welfare and acceptable piglet survival. Successful free-farrowing systems require better stockmanship and more complex housing design, but these are achievable barriers rather than insurmountable ones. The welfare case for eliminating farrowing crates is strong when alternative systems are properly managed.