Livestock

Group Housing for Gestating Sows: Welfare Science

How group housing for pregnant sows improves welfare compared to individual stalls.

Key Facts

The EU banned individual sow stalls from 4 weeks post-service in 2013
Individual stalls prevent all natural movement and social behaviour — major welfare failure
Group housing allows movement, social interaction, and some foraging behaviour
Aggression at mixing remains a welfare challenge in group systems

Welfare Considerations

Group housing for gestating sows represents a significant welfare improvement over individual stalls — sows can turn around, interact socially, and perform locomotory behaviour. Welfare challenges in group systems include aggression at mixing, competition for food, and injury to subordinate animals. Welfare-focused group management uses stable groups where possible, provides adequate feed space, and monitors individual body condition.

What You Can Do

Choose pork certified from farms that eliminated individual sow stalls
Advocate for global adoption of group gestation standards equivalent to EU law
Support research into reducing aggression during mixing in group gestating sow systems