Farrowing crates confine sows during birth and lactation to prevent piglet crushing. Research into alternatives that protect piglets while allowing sow movement is advancing rapidly.
The farrowing crate debate involves genuine welfare trade-offs: sow behavioral welfare (freedom to move, nest, and express maternal behaviors) versus piglet survival welfare (reduced crushing mortality). The research evidence increasingly shows that well-designed alternative farrowing systems can achieve both simultaneously — protecting piglets while allowing sow movement. The key is system design: purpose-built alternative farrowing pens with escape corners, appropriate floor surfaces, heat pads for piglets, and deep bedding for nesting achieve comparable or better piglet survival alongside dramatically improved sow welfare. The sow welfare costs of farrowing crates are substantial: inability to build a nest in the hours before birth when nesting drive is acute, inability to turn around for weeks, and chronic restraint that causes joint and foot problems. Progressive producers and certification schemes are leading the transition.