Gestation crates — individual metal stalls where pregnant sows are confined for weeks to months — are among the most criticized intensive farming practices. Understanding the welfare evidence drives the case for group housing.
Gestation crate confinement causes multiple welfare harms: inability to perform natural behaviors including rooting, social interaction, and exercise; muscle atrophy from prolonged immobility; elevated stress from spatial restriction; and high rates of stereotypic behaviors (bar-biting, head-weaving) indicating chronic frustration. Sows in crates spend weeks to months unable to turn around — a restriction that would be considered severe deprivation in other contexts. Group housing systems, while requiring more management skill, eliminate these welfare harms while maintaining comparable productivity when managed well. The EU transition demonstrates that industry-wide adoption is viable with appropriate support and regulatory framework.