Outdoor farrowing systems allow sows to express nesting behavior and have greater freedom of movement, with both welfare benefits and management challenges.
Outdoor farrowing represents a meaningful welfare advance for sows who are otherwise confined for weeks at a time during reproductive cycles. The ability to nest build, farrow without restriction, and maintain proximity to piglets while moving freely addresses multiple Five Domains welfare criteria. Challenges include predator management, weather extremes, and labor-intensive monitoring. European organic and higher-welfare standards typically include outdoor farrowing as a requirement.