Gestation crates confine pregnant pigs in spaces too small to turn around. Scientific consensus and growing legislation are driving a global shift toward group housing systems that allow natural movement and social behaviour.
The welfare case against gestation crates is compelling: chronic physical restriction prevents sows from performing natural behaviours including rooting, nesting, and social interaction. Prolonged confinement is associated with learned helplessness, muscle wastage, and compromised immune function. Group housing addresses these issues but introduces new challenges — mixing aggression, competition at feeders, and social stress among unfamiliar animals. The quality of group housing systems varies enormously. Deep-litter systems with enrichment, ESF technology, and stable social groups can deliver excellent welfare. Poorly managed group pens with insufficient space or inadequate feeding stations may not improve significantly on crates. The welfare outcome depends on management skill, barn design, and stockperson training as much as the housing system itself.