Gestation crates - individual metal stalls that confine pregnant sows - are being phased out across Europe and in some US states, representing a major welfare advance for millions of pigs.
The gestation crate ban represents one of the most significant farm animal welfare advances of recent decades, eliminating a system that denied sows any freedom of movement for the majority of their reproductive lives. The transition to group housing brings its own welfare challenges - aggression between sows must be managed through housing design, feeding systems, and stockperson skill. Well-managed group housing is considerably better for sow welfare; poorly managed group housing can cause its own problems. Consumer and advocacy pressure has driven faster phase-out timelines than regulation alone.