Farrowing Crate Alternatives for Sows

Farrowing crates severely restrict sow movement but are used to reduce piglet crushing; research into alternatives that protect both sow and piglet welfare is advancing.

Key Facts

Conventional farrowing crates confine sows for 3-5 weeks around birth and lactation
Sows in crates cannot turn around, nest-build properly, or fully express maternal behaviour
Stereotypies, frustration behaviours and postural abnormalities are common in crated sows
Loose housing without protection increases piglet crushing mortality by 5-10 percentage points
Pen design with anti-crushing rails and escape zones can reduce mortality in loose systems
Temporary confinement systems confine sows briefly around birth then allow freedom
The EU has discussed phasing out farrowing crates but no binding timeline exists as of 2026
Sweden and Switzerland have largely moved to loose farrowing with modified pen designs

Welfare Considerations

The farrowing crate presents a genuine welfare dilemma: it reduces piglet mortality but severely compromises sow welfare over a critical period. Sows are strongly motivated to build nests and show other pre-farrowing behaviours that crates prevent. Research into alternatives focuses on pen designs that retain some crushing protection while restoring sow freedom of movement. Temporary crating systems represent a compromise. Long-term, selective breeding for better maternal behaviour may reduce crushing risk in free-farrowing systems.

What You Can Do

Support higher welfare pork standards that require free-farrowing systems
Look for RSPCA Assured or equivalent labels that require loose farrowing
Advocate for binding EU and national legislation with timelines for crate phase-out
Support research into free-farrowing pen designs through welfare-focused organisations
Engage with retailers about their supplier requirements for sow farrowing welfare