Farmed Animals

Pig Farrowing Crates: Welfare Impact and Alternatives

Farrowing crates severely restrict sow movement and natural behavior for weeks around birth, raising serious welfare concerns despite claimed piglet safety benefits.

Key Facts

Standard farrowing crates allow sows virtually no movement for 3-5 weeks around birth
Sows have strong nesting instincts that cannot be expressed in crates
Research shows sows in farrowing crates show high rates of stereotypic bar-biting
Loose farrowing systems with good design achieve similar piglet mortality to crates
Over 10 countries have banned or are phasing out conventional farrowing crates
Sweden banned farrowing crates in 1988 with continued viable pig production

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing crates cause severe frustration of natural behaviors in a highly motivated animal. Sows cannot turn around, root, or perform nesting behavior they are strongly driven to complete. Evidence of chronic stress includes elevated cortisol, stereotypies, and apathy. Loose farrowing systems with appropriate design, supervision, and genetics can protect piglets while allowing sow welfare.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products certified under high-welfare schemes prohibiting farrowing crates
Support policy advocacy for farrowing crate phase-outs in your country
Donate to organizations researching and promoting loose farrowing system design
Ask retailers about their supplier farrowing crate policies