The farrowing process itself — birth of piglets — is a welfare-critical event where sow and piglet welfare interact closely, and management decisions have major impacts on outcomes.
The farrowing event is a welfare-critical period for both sow and piglets. Prolonged difficult farrowing causes severe pain and exhaustion in sows; inappropriate oxytocin use can cause violent uterine contractions that injure piglets and sows. Confinement in farrowing crates prevents sows from adopting the lateral positions and movement that facilitate birth, potentially prolonging labour. Free farrowing systems allow sows to move, adopt comfortable positions during labour, and respond to distressed piglets. Stillbirth rates are partly a welfare indicator — prolonged farrowing with insufficient oxygen to piglets during delayed delivery causes preventable piglet deaths. Skilled farrowing supervision and early intervention in complications reduces welfare harm for both sow and litter.