Pig Gestation Crate Phase-Out Progress

Gestation crates prevent sows from turning around or expressing natural behaviour. Legislative phase-outs represent a major animal welfare advance.

Key Facts

Gestation crates confine sows individually for most of the 16-week pregnancy
The EU restricted gestation crate use to the first four weeks post-service in 2013
Many US states have banned gestation crates following ballot initiatives
Group housing allows social behaviour, rooting and increased movement
Industry transition costs have been cited as barriers to full phase-out

Welfare Considerations

Sows in gestation crates cannot perform core natural behaviours including turning around, rooting, foraging and social interaction. Chronic confinement causes stereotypies, muscle wastage and cardiovascular problems. Group housing systems improve welfare significantly but require careful management of aggression and feeding to ensure all sows have adequate access to resources. Well-designed loose housing with electronic sow feeding stations can achieve good welfare outcomes at acceptable production cost.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products with UK Outdoor Bred, RSPCA Assured or equivalent labels
Ask supermarkets about their sow housing policy and commitments
Support NGOs campaigning for full gestation crate prohibition
Sign petitions for trade standards that prevent import of crate-raised pork
Share information about welfare labelling schemes with family and friends