Transitioning sows from individual gestation stalls to group housing requires careful management to prevent aggression and welfare problems during mixing.
Group housing for sows is a significant welfare improvement over gestation stalls, but the transition requires management changes that many producers have not fully mastered. Mixing unfamiliar sows triggers aggression that can cause injury and chronic social stress. The welfare benefits of group housing are only realized when mixing is managed thoughtfully — using gradual introductions, adequate space, multiple feeding points, and electronic sow feeders that eliminate competition for food. Well-managed group housing systems deliver substantially better welfare than even the best gestation stall systems.