Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around, and the transition to group housing is both a welfare improvement and an industry challenge.
The transition away from gestation crates represents one of the largest welfare improvements possible in commercial pig farming. Sows in crates cannot engage in any species-typical behavior — they cannot root, socialize, nest, explore, or move freely. The frustration of these blocked drives manifests in repetitive bar-biting and other stereotypies. Group housing, when well-managed, restores behavioral freedom and improves both physical and mental health. The transition is complex — group dynamics require careful management to prevent injury — but the welfare evidence is unambiguous. Consumer and corporate pressure has driven faster change in some markets than legislation alone. Supporting companies that have credibly implemented gestation crate phase-outs creates meaningful market incentives for better pig welfare.