Group housing for gestating sows is now required across the EU and UK but presents challenges in meeting individual sow needs for nutrition and protection from aggression in group settings.
Group housing is a welfare improvement over individual stall confinement for most sows, providing freedom of movement and social interaction that individual stalls deny entirely. However, group housing introduces its own welfare challenges — feed competition means thin or subordinate sows may be inadequately fed despite management efforts; aggression during regrouping causes injuries; and inadequate space increases stress and displacement from resources. The welfare outcome of group housing is heavily dependent on management quality. Well-managed group housing with ESF, adequate space, and stable group composition produces good sow welfare; poorly managed group housing can produce welfare outcomes inferior to well-managed stall housing. Continuous improvement in group housing management quality is therefore as important as the transition from stalls.