Farrowing crates immobilize sows during birth and nursing, preventing maternal behavior and causing significant suffering — but alternatives carry their own welfare challenges.
Farrowing crate confinement causes profound behavioral deprivation. Nesting is one of the most strongly motivated behaviors in sows — the drive to build a nest before farrowing is so intense that crated sows perform persistent, stereotypic nest-building movements against the bare floor for hours. Inability to express this behavior causes measurable distress. The 3–5 week confinement prevents the sow from turning, grooming naturally, or expressing maternal behavior beyond lying and lactating. Meanwhile, the alternative welfare risk — piglet crushing — is real and significant, meaning naive system transitions without management investment lead to piglet mortality spikes. Well-designed alternatives with adequate space, straw, and anti-crush rails resolve both welfare concerns.