Gestation crates — individual metal stalls confining pregnant sows — are one of the most criticized practices in pig farming. Tracking phase-out progress reveals where welfare improvements are occurring.
Gestation crates represent a profound restriction of sow welfare. Sows confined for weeks or months cannot perform any natural behavior — they cannot turn around, root, socialize, or explore. Behavioral frustration manifests as stereotypic bar-biting, which is observed in the majority of crated sows and indicates severe psychological distress. Welfare improvements from group housing are significant: sows can move, socialize, and engage in foraging behavior. However, group housing requires careful management: poorly designed group systems cause aggression, lameness from inadequate flooring, and competitive exclusion from food. Well-managed group systems with appropriate space, flooring, and feeding design provide vastly better welfare than gestation crates. Corporate phase-out commitments, backed by supply chain verification, are the most effective driver of change in producer countries that have not yet legislated.