The welfare benefits and management challenges of group housing systems for pregnant sows, compared to individual gestation stalls.
Gestation stall confinement causes severe welfare problems including muscle atrophy, joint pain, stereotypic behaviors, and profound psychological frustration from movement and behavioral deprivation. Group housing eliminates these problems but requires skilled management to prevent aggression injuries, ensure adequate nutrition for all sows including those of lower social rank, and maintain health monitoring. The welfare benefits of group housing are clearest in well-managed systems with adequate space, enrichment, and feeding management. Transition from stalls to group housing requires investment in both infrastructure and staff skills, but the welfare gains are substantial and the regulatory direction is clear across most major pork-producing regions.