Farm Animals

Pig Welfare: Farrowing Pen Design Innovation

Innovative farrowing pen designs are addressing the welfare trade-offs between sow freedom, piglet protection, and practical management.

Key Facts

The PigSAFE pen uses a sloped wall design to protect piglets from crushing while allowing sow movement
The Get Away pig pen provides temporary refuge areas for piglets to escape from the sow
Sensor-guided temporary crating systems confine sows only during the highest-risk crushing period
Field trials of these systems are demonstrating comparable or better piglet survival to conventional crates

Welfare Considerations

Farrowing pen innovation is proving that the sow welfare versus piglet mortality trade-off is not binary. Well-designed free-farrowing systems with piglet protection features can achieve welfare benefits for sows without accepting higher piglet mortality. This is a genuine breakthrough that merits wider adoption.

What You Can Do

Support research organisations and producers trialling innovative farrowing system designs
Advocate for farrowing system innovation to be supported through industry and government research funding
Engage with the peer-reviewed research on innovative farrowing system welfare outcomes