Farrowing crates confine sows during and after birth to prevent piglet crushing. The welfare conflict between sow confinement and piglet safety has driven significant research into alternatives.
Farrowing crates represent a genuine welfare conflict that cannot be resolved without acknowledging trade-offs. Sow confinement causes severe behavioral frustration - nesting motivation in late pregnancy is extremely strong, and sows in crates show repeated thwarted nesting attempts that reflect genuine psychological suffering. The inability to turn around for weeks causes muscle wastage and painful positioning. However, the high piglet mortality in loose housing systems means that alternatives must be carefully designed to protect piglet welfare as well as sow welfare. The evidence from countries that have banned crates - particularly Sweden - shows that commercial pig farming is viable without them when systems are appropriately designed. The ongoing use of crates in most countries reflects economic inertia and insufficient regulatory pressure rather than evidence that no alternative exists.