Gestation stalls confining pregnant sows individually have been banned in the EU and 12 US states, with major pork producers committing to group housing, though full implementation across global supply chains remains incomplete.
Gestation stall welfare harm is clear and well-documented: sows confined in individual stalls for months cannot turn around, walk, or perform any meaningful locomotion. The chronic frustration of movement, social interaction, and exploratory behavior in animals with documented cognitive sophistication produces high rates of stereotypic oral behaviors (bar biting, rooting against the stall front). The policy trend toward group housing represents genuine welfare progress, but implementation quality varies significantly. Group housing without adequate space, enrichment, and management can produce aggression and injury welfare problems that may not represent improvement over stalls. The welfare target should be well-managed group housing with enrichment, not merely the elimination of stalls.