Sow Farrowing Crate Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Farrowing crates confine sows during and after birth to protect piglets from crushing, but severely restrict the sow ability to perform nesting behavior and move freely during one of the most vulnerable periods of her life.

Key Facts

Sows in farrowing crates cannot turn around for typically 3-5 weeks around farrowing
Nesting behavior — the most strongly motivated behavior in late-gestation sows — cannot be expressed in crates
Sow frustration in farrowing crates manifests as increased bar-biting and vocalization
Free-farrowing systems with nest-building material have equivalent piglet survival with enhanced sow welfare
Multiple countries including Sweden have transitioned to free-farrowing without increased piglet mortality

Welfare Considerations

The farrowing crate imposes the most extreme spatial restriction of any standard farm animal housing system at precisely the time when the sow motivation to express nesting behavior is greatest. The inability to build a nest before farrowing causes measurable frustration that peaks in the days before parturition. The argument that crates are necessary to protect piglets has been substantially challenged by evidence from free-farrowing systems showing comparable piglet survival rates.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products certified as produced without farrowing crates
Support campaigns for farrowing crate bans in your country
Advocate for free-farrowing system requirements in welfare certification standards
Raise awareness about farrowing crate welfare among pork consumers
Donate to organizations campaigning for sow welfare improvements globally