Gestation crates for sows are widely recognised as one of the worst welfare practices in intensive pig farming. Understanding the progress and remaining challenges in eliminating them matters for pig welfare globally.
Gestation crates represent an extreme and sustained deprivation of basic behavioural freedoms for millions of sows globally. Confined for the majority of their productive lives in a space they cannot turn around in, sows develop stereotypic bar-biting, exhibit signs of chronic stress, and cannot engage in any of the social, exploratory, or comfort behaviours that pigs are strongly motivated to perform. The scientific case against gestation crates is unambiguous and has been for decades; the barriers to elimination are economic and political. Where phase-outs have been implemented, the industry has adapted, demonstrating that gestation-crate-free production is technically feasible. The remaining challenge is extending these welfare improvements to all production contexts globally, including through trade policy that prevents import of pork produced in ways that would be illegal in importing countries.