Pig Gestation Crate Phase-Out and Global Progress

Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around - a growing number of countries and companies have committed to ending this practice, but global adoption remains incomplete.

Key Facts

Gestation crates measure approximately 0.6 by 2 metres - too small for sows to turn around
The European Union banned gestation crates except during the first four weeks of pregnancy in 2013
Several US states including California, Massachusetts and Colorado have state-level bans
Over 100 major food companies have committed to gestation-crate-free supply chains
Group housing allows natural behaviours including movement, social interaction and exploration
Transition to group housing requires careful management to prevent aggression between unfamiliar sows
The UK has banned continuous gestation crate use since 1999, allowing only short-term individual housing

Welfare Considerations

Gestation crate welfare science is unambiguous: permanent confinement preventing a pig from turning around causes chronic psychological and physical suffering. Pigs in gestation crates show stereotypic bar-biting, learned helplessness and elevated stress hormones. The welfare case for group housing is strong and the technology for managing group-housed sows safely is well-established. Progress has been significant in Europe and parts of the US but the majority of global sow production still uses gestation crates. Corporate commitment monitoring and accountability is essential - signed commitments without implementation timelines and verification have limited welfare value.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products certified as gestation-crate-free or produced in systems with full group housing
Support farm animal welfare organisations campaigning for gestation crate bans in remaining markets
Contact food companies without gestation-crate-free commitments to request clear timelines
Advocate for legislative bans on gestation crates in countries where they remain legal
Support monitoring organisations that verify corporate commitment implementation