The welfare implications of transitioning sows from gestation stalls to loose housing and farrowing crates to free farrowing systems.
Sow welfare improvement requires managing transitions from highly restrictive systems toward those enabling natural behavior while addressing genuine management challenges. Gestation crate abolition is welfare-positive and widely accepted, though loose group housing requires skilled management to prevent injury during mixing and feeding. Farrowing crate reform is more complex: while crates restrict sows' ability to nest-build and turn around, they do protect piglets from crushing. Free farrowing systems with appropriate pen design, bedding provision, and stockperson monitoring achieve similar or better piglet mortality rates while dramatically improving sow welfare. The transition requires capital investment and training but represents a meaningful welfare advance that the industry can achieve.