Farrowing Crate Alternatives: Welfare Gains from Free Farrowing

Farrowing crates — individual metal crates that confine sows around the time of birth — are the most welfare-compromising routine practice in pig farming. Free farrowing systems offer significant welfare advantages despite management challenges.

Key Facts

Farrowing crates confine sows in spaces too small to turn around, typically 0.6m x 2.1m, for 3-5 weeks around birth
Sows in farrowing crates cannot perform nesting behavior, which is highly motivated in the days before birth
Wild sows spend 10-20 hours building elaborate nests before farrowing — crate confinement prevents this entirely
Piglet crushing mortality is the primary rationale for farrowing crates — sows may lie on piglets when they cannot control their movements
Free farrowing systems with appropriate design achieve comparable or slightly higher piglet mortality rates versus crates in most studies
Sweden banned farrowing crates in 1988; Norway in 2002; several other European countries are phasing them out
The UK Pig Hub and similar industry bodies are developing commercial-scale free farrowing systems for roll-out

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing crate confinement represents one of the most complete restrictions of natural behavior in any farmed animal. The sow's motivation to build a nest before farrowing is among the strongest behavioral drives measured in any farm animal — confined sows show persistent and unsuccessful nesting attempts on the metal crate floor for hours. The inability to perform this behavior causes measurable frustration and stress. Beyond nesting deprivation, confinement throughout a 3-5 week farrowing period prevents the sow from lying down in different positions for comfort, interacting normally with her piglets, or engaging in any natural behavior. Free farrowing systems — including large, well-designed pens with nesting material, piglet protection zones, and appropriate space — allow sows to perform natural behaviors while managing piglet safety through design rather than confinement.

What You Can Do

Support pork certification requiring free farrowing systems — very few currently mandate this
Advocate for legislation phasing out farrowing crates, following the examples of Sweden and Norway
Support producers investing in free farrowing system development and implementation
Choose pork from certified farms explicitly prohibiting farrowing crate use
Support research into free farrowing design that reduces piglet mortality without compromising sow welfare