What research tells us about the welfare impact of individual gestation stalls on sows.
The scientific evidence on gestation crate welfare is among the most unequivocal in farm animal science. Sows confined individually for most of their pregnancy develop physical deterioration — weaker bones, reduced muscle — and psychological distress expressed through stereotypic movements that mimic natural behaviors they cannot perform. The behavioral evidence of frustration and deprivation is consistent across decades of research. Countries and companies that have moved to group housing have demonstrated that production is viable without this welfare compromise, making continued use of gestation crates a choice rather than a necessity.