Farrowing crates — individual metal stalls confining sows during and after birth — prevent piglet crushing but severely restrict natural maternal behaviour, and alternative systems are proving viable at commercial scale.
The farrowing crate debate illustrates the genuine welfare trade-offs in farming system design. Crates protect piglets from crushing at the cost of completely restricting sow movement and natural behaviour for weeks. The welfare harm to the sow is clear and documented; the welfare benefit to piglets from reduced crushing is real. Alternative systems that use physical barriers rather than sow confinement to protect piglets have demonstrated viability at commercial scale in multiple countries. The political resistance to farrowing crate bans reflects the real transition costs for producers rather than the technical impossibility of alternatives. The welfare case for transition timelines with producer support is strong.