Farrowing crates confine sows during birth and nursing to prevent piglet crushing but cause significant welfare harm through movement restriction.
Farrowing crate welfare involves a genuine tension between piglet and sow welfare. Crates were introduced to reduce piglet crushing mortality, which remains a real risk in loose-housed systems. However, the degree of movement restriction imposed on sows for weeks is a significant welfare cost — sows have intense nesting motivation before farrowing that is completely frustrated in crates. Loose farrowing systems with appropriate nest design and management have shown comparable piglet survival in research settings, suggesting the trade-off can be resolved with investment in system design and stockperson training.