Farrowing crates — metal stalls confining sows during birth and nursing — prevent piglet crushing but severely restrict sow behaviour, raising fundamental welfare trade-offs.
Farrowing crates represent a genuine welfare trade-off: they protect piglets at the cost of severe maternal confinement. The sow's inability to turn around, nest-build, or perform normal maternal behaviours for 3-5 weeks per litter causes chronic frustration and physical deterioration — pressure sores, muscle atrophy, and stereotypic behaviours are documented. Free farrowing systems demonstrate that this trade-off can be substantially resolved: well-designed pens with appropriate flooring, bedding, and piglet protection zones achieve similar or lower piglet mortality while allowing sow movement. The transition requires housing investment but represents a meaningful welfare improvement for the millions of sows confined annually.