Piglet Crushing Prevention: Saving Lives and Reducing Welfare Harm

Piglet crushing by sows is one of the leading causes of pre-weaning mortality — welfare-focused farrowing management dramatically reduces crushing deaths.

Key Facts

• Crushing by the sow accounts for 25-40% of pre-weaning piglet deaths in commercial systems
• Piglets are most vulnerable in the first 72 hours of life when they are small and slow-moving
• Farrowing crates prevent crushing but restrict sow movement and natural behavior severely
• Alternative farrowing systems including freedom farrowing pens can achieve low crushing rates with management
• Sow supervision during farrowing and for 48 hours afterward dramatically reduces crushing mortality

Welfare Considerations

Piglet crushing represents a significant welfare and production loss — the death of a piglet by crushing is sudden and violent, and sows that repeatedly crush piglets may have poor maternal behavior as a welfare and productivity concern. The welfare tension around crushing lies between two competing concerns: the welfare of piglets (protected by farrowing crates that prevent the sow from lying on them) and the welfare of sows (severely compromised by farrowing crate confinement for 3-5 weeks). Welfare-optimized solutions include intensive supervision of farrowing and the first 48 hours of life, well-designed freedom farrowing pens with creep areas and anti-crush rails, and genetic selection for good maternal behavior.

What You Can Do

• Provide intensive supervision during farrowing and for 48 hours post-partum — the highest-risk period
• Ensure farrowing pen design includes effective anti-crush rails and accessible creep areas
• Record sow-by-sow crushing rates to identify poor maternal behavior for culling decisions
• Support the development of welfare-optimized freedom farrowing systems as crate alternatives
• Maintain adequate warmth in creep areas (30-32°C) to keep piglets active and away from the sow