Farrowing crates confine sows for weeks around birth, preventing natural nesting behavior and causing significant welfare problems despite preventing piglet crushing.
The welfare cost of farrowing crates falls on sows who are highly motivated to build nests before birth — a behavior they cannot perform in confinement. The resulting frustration and inability to engage in normal maternal behavior causes measurable stress. Alternative systems exist and work; the barrier to adoption is primarily economic inertia.