Pig Gestation Crate Welfare and Phase-Out Progress

Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in metal stalls too narrow to turn around, and despite being banned in several countries and UK pig farming, they remain legal and widespread globally.

Key Facts

Gestation crates measure approximately 2 m by 0.6 m — too narrow for a sow to turn or take more than one step forward
The UK and several EU countries banned gestation crates in the 1990s-2000s; group housing is now required
The USA uses gestation crates in the majority of its pig farms; many states have passed phase-out legislation
Sows in crates show higher rates of stereotypies including bar-biting and repetitive head movements
Muscle weakness and bone density reduction from immobility are documented health consequences of crate confinement
California Proposition 12 (passed 2018) bans sales of pork from crated sows regardless of production origin

Welfare Considerations

Gestation crates represent one of the clearest examples of intensive confinement causing documented, severe, and chronic welfare impairment. The inability to turn around, walk, or express normal social or exploratory behaviour for the entire 16-week gestation period causes physical deterioration and psychological suffering. Scientific consensus — including reports from the EU Scientific Committee on Animal Health and the AVMA — has concluded that gestation crates seriously compromise sow welfare. Despite this consensus, over 100 million sows globally are still kept in crates. Consumer pressure and legislation remain the most effective mechanisms for change, as demonstrated by the meaningful progress achieved in Europe and increasingly in North American states.

What You Can Do

Avoid pork products from producers that have not committed to gestation crate phase-out
Support Humane Society of the United States and HSUS campaigns for state-level gestation crate bans
Ask supermarkets for their gestation crate policies and timelines for elimination from supply chains
Support Compassion in World Farming international campaigns for global elimination of gestation crates