Pig Sow Housing and Freedom of Movement

Sow housing systems that restrict freedom of movement — particularly gestation crates — are among the most welfare-condemned practices in modern agriculture.

Key Facts

Gestation crates (sow stalls) confine pregnant sows in spaces approximately 60cm wide — preventing turning around for up to 16 weeks.
The EU banned gestation stalls for the majority of pregnancy since 2013, with some jurisdictions maintaining exemptions for the first weeks after mating.
In the USA, major food companies including McDonald's and Walmart have announced gestation stall phase-out commitments.
Group housing allows sows to walk, socialise, and exhibit natural behaviours but requires careful management of aggression.
Research shows sows in group housing have improved welfare indicators including lower stress hormones and higher positive affect scores.

Welfare Considerations

Gestation crate confinement causes documented welfare harm from chronic inability to perform motivated behaviours including walking, turning, and social interaction. Sows in crates develop stereotypic bar-biting, show elevated stress hormones, and experience bone and muscle weakness from inactivity over months. The welfare case for group housing is robust and evidence-based. The management challenge of aggression in group systems is real but solvable through appropriate group size, stable group composition, and adequate resources — not a justification for returning to individual confinement.

What You Can Do

Choose pork from producers certified to be gestation crate-free throughout pregnancy.
Contact food companies that have made gestation stall commitments to ask about implementation timelines.
Support campaigns for gestation crate legislation in countries where they remain legal.
Reduce pork consumption from supply chains that cannot verify gestation crate-free status.