Farm Animals

Pig Group Housing for Pregnant Sows

Group housing systems for pregnant sows allow social interaction and exercise, meeting behavioural needs that individual stalls cannot provide.

Key Facts

EU legislation banned individual gestation stalls in 2013 for most of pregnancy
Group housing can increase aggression around feeding without good management
Electronic sow feeders allow individual feeding within groups
Dynamic grouping (adding sows) causes more aggression than static groups
Group housing allows exercise, social interaction, and postural freedom

Welfare Considerations

Pregnant sows in individual stalls cannot turn around, socialise, or exercise normally. Group housing with good management allows expression of natural social behaviour while meeting nutritional needs individually. Transition management is key to minimising aggression.

What You Can Do

Support pork producers who use certified group housing systems
Look for RSPCA Assured or outdoor-reared labels when buying pork
Advocate for gestation stall bans in countries that still permit them