Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around, causing significant welfare harms. Science-based reform toward group housing is advancing globally.
The welfare impacts of gestation crates are extensively documented. Physical harms include muscle atrophy from inability to exercise, cardiovascular deconditioning, urinary tract infections, pressure sores, and painful joint problems. Psychological harms include stereotypic behaviors including repetitive bar-biting and weaving, indicating severe frustration and distress. Sows in crates cannot perform natural behaviors including rooting, foraging, building nests, or social interaction. Well-managed group housing with electronic sow feeding systems allows individual feeding control while permitting exercise and social behavior. The transition to group housing is technically challenging but has been achieved successfully by major producers worldwide.