Farm Animal Welfare

Sow Reproductive Welfare Advanced

Sow reproductive welfare encompasses the physical and psychological wellbeing of breeding pigs throughout pregnancy, farrowing, and lactation cycles.

Key Facts

Sows in intensive systems typically undergo 5-8 reproductive cycles before culling
Lameness and musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of early culling in sows
Gestation stall confinement prevents all natural behaviour including turning around
Farrowing crates prevent the sow from building a nest and restrict movement during and after birth
Alternative farrowing systems including free-farrowing pens are being adopted by leading producers

Welfare Considerations

Sow welfare is compromised by confinement systems that prevent natural behaviour throughout reproductive life; system redesign rather than management optimisation is the appropriate response.

What You Can Do

Support producers transitioning to free-farrowing and group gestation housing
Choose pork products from higher-welfare sow housing systems
Advocate for legal phase-out of gestation stalls and farrowing crates