Sow nesting behavior before farrowing is a powerful welfare indicator — understanding it helps design better farrowing systems.
Sow nesting behavior is a compelling example of how a strong biological motivation, when systematically frustrated, creates measurable welfare harm. The motivation to build a nest before farrowing is one of the most intensely expressed behavioral drives in the sow repertoire — equivalent in intensity to hunger or pain avoidance. Denying this behavior through bare farrowing crate floors causes measurable distress that is not resolved by the onset of farrowing. Good farrowing system design provides nesting material, space for nest construction, and conditions that allow maternal behavior to proceed naturally — an investment that simultaneously improves sow welfare, piglet colostrum intake, and bonding outcomes.