The farrowing period — when sows give birth and nurse piglets — is one of the most welfare-critical moments in pig production, with confinement systems causing significant sow suffering.
The farrowing crate debate illustrates the genuine tension between sow welfare and piglet survival that can exist in animal production systems. Crates prevent the rolling and crushing behavior that kills piglets in open pens but confine sows in conditions that prevent nearly all natural behavior — including the nest-building that is a strong behavioral drive before farrowing. Modern free-farrowing systems with thoughtful pen design can achieve comparable piglet survival while allowing sow welfare substantially better than crates. The EU phase-out commitment and UK welfare consultations signal direction — the challenge is industry transition support and implementation.