Farrowing crates confine sows during and after birth in spaces that prevent turning around, causing severe welfare problems while raising piglets. Alternatives exist but face industry resistance.
Farrowing crate confinement causes acute welfare harm to sows during the most physiologically demanding period of their lives. The inability to perform nesting behavior before birth — a drive so strong that sows in crates engage in frantic nest-building movements against the metal bars — causes profound frustration measurable through stress hormone levels and stereotypy rates. Maternal behavior is severely compromised: sows cannot respond appropriately to piglet distress calls, reposition themselves for suckling comfort, or maintain normal mother-offspring bonds. Research on farrowing system alternatives demonstrates that welfare can be dramatically improved without increasing piglet mortality through thoughtful system design that provides sow freedom of movement while protecting newborns.