The confinement of sows in farrowing crates prevents piglet crushing but severely restricts maternal behavior, creating an ongoing welfare debate about the best system design.
Farrowing system design sits at the intersection of two genuine welfare concerns: sow welfare (frustrated maternal behavior in crates) and piglet welfare (crushing risk in loose systems). Standard farrowing crates resolve one problem by creating another — sows in crates show repetitive bar-biting, heightened stress responses, and severe frustration during the pre-farrowing period when nesting motivation peaks. Free-farrowing systems that provide nesting material and space allow full expression of maternal behavior but require skilled management to minimize crushing through pen design and monitoring. Modified systems with adjustable crates — confined only during the first critical days and then opened — have shown favorable welfare outcomes for both sows and piglets. Several European countries have legislated or are legislating to ban farrowing crates.