Sow Gestation Stalls: One of Farming's Most Contested Welfare Issues

Gestation stalls confine pregnant sows individually in metal crates too small to turn around in for the duration of pregnancy. They represent one of the most debated and increasingly restricted practices in global pig farming.

Key Facts

Gestation stalls are metal crates approximately 0.6 m wide and 2.2 m long — sows cannot turn around inside them
They were originally introduced to reduce aggression between sows and allow individual feed management
Sows may spend 16 weeks or more per pregnancy confined in gestation stalls in conventional systems
The EU banned gestation stalls for most of pregnancy in 2013 — sows must be group-housed from 4 weeks after mating
The USA has no federal ban, but 10 states have banned gestation stalls and major retailers have announced cage-free commitments
Sows in gestation stalls exhibit stereotypic behaviours including bar-biting and repetitive head movements — indicators of severe frustration
Group housing with adequate space and enrichment is associated with better welfare outcomes but requires more careful management to prevent aggression

Welfare Considerations

Gestation stalls cause profound and chronic welfare harm. A sow confined in a stall that prevents turning for weeks at a time cannot lie comfortably, explore, socialise, or perform any natural behaviour. The immobility causes muscle atrophy and joint pain, particularly in the hindlimbs. The psychological deprivation causes stereotypic behaviours that persist even when animals are eventually given more space — indicating lasting neurological impact. Sows are highly intelligent animals with complex social and exploratory needs; confinement in gestation stalls denies all of these. This is why they have been phased out in many jurisdictions and why consumer pressure on remaining markets continues to build.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products certified as gestation stall-free or from countries where gestation stalls are banned (e.g. EU)
Support Humane Society, Animal Equality, and CIWF campaigns targeting gestation stall bans in remaining US states
Ask your supermarket to require gestation stall-free pork from all suppliers and publish progress annually
Reduce pork consumption or shift to plant-based alternatives where animal welfare is a priority
Support legislative campaigns for national gestation stall bans in countries that have not yet acted