Pig Farrowing Crate Reform: Progress Toward Free Farrowing

Farrowing crates severely restrict sow movement at one of the most physically and psychologically demanding periods of their lives; reform is accelerating across multiple countries.

Key Facts

Conventional farrowing crates confine sows in a space too small to turn around for 3-6 weeks around birth
Sows in farrowing crates cannot perform nest-building behavior, a strong biological drive before birth
Free-farrowing systems that give sows movement freedom show comparable piglet mortality to crate systems when well-managed
Sweden, Switzerland, and Norway have banned farrowing crates; the UK is under pressure to follow
The EU has included farrowing crate phase-out in its Farm to Fork animal welfare legislative package
Major food companies including Nestle and Unilever have made commitments to transition away from crated farrowing

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing crates are one of the most welfare-compromising routine practices in pig production. Confining a sow during farrowing prevents nest building, natural birthing posture, and maternal behavior expression — causing significant frustration and stress at the most demanding phase of her reproductive cycle. Free-farrowing alternatives including PigSAFE and Biofix systems demonstrate that piglet survival can be maintained without crate confinement when system design and stockmanship quality are adequate. The welfare case for reform is clear; the commercial case is increasingly viable.

What You Can Do

Choose pork from producers certified to free-farrowing standards where available
Support campaigns by CIWF and HSI for farrowing crate bans in your country
Ask food companies and retailers about their farrowing crate commitments and progress timelines
Advocate for EU and national legislation that sets concrete phase-out dates for farrowing crate use