Progress and challenges in transitioning away from gestation crates toward group sow housing in pig farming.
Gestation crate transition represents one of the most significant ongoing welfare reform efforts in industrial pig farming. The welfare case for elimination is clear — preventing normal movement, social behavior, and comfort positioning for months during pregnancy causes documented psychological suffering. However, the transition to group housing introduces its own welfare challenges: aggression during group introductions can cause serious injury without appropriate management. The transition must therefore be managed not just as a systems change but as a genuine welfare improvement — with appropriate group management protocols that prevent aggression from replacing confinement as the primary welfare concern.