Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Group Gestation Housing

Group gestation housing for sows is associated with improved welfare compared to individual stalls, but requires careful management to minimise aggression and competition.

Key Facts

EU legislation banned individual sow stalls beyond 4 weeks after mating from 2013
Group housing allows more natural social behaviour and movement
Aggressive interactions at mixing and feeding are key welfare challenges
Electronic sow feeding (ESF) systems manage competition effectively
Stable groups with consistent membership reduce ongoing aggression

Welfare Considerations

Group gestation housing represents a major welfare improvement for sows over individual stalls, but welfare gains depend entirely on management quality. Aggression prevention, stable groups, and appropriate feeding systems are essential.

What You Can Do

Support welfare certification that verifies group housing management quality
Choose pork from farms verified as using group gestation housing
Advocate for global adoption of group gestation housing standards
Learn about sow welfare and the history of gestation stall reform