Sow Gestation Crates: Global Phase-Out Progress and Welfare Evidence

Gestation crates confine pregnant sows in spaces too small to turn around for up to four months, representing one of the most severe welfare restrictions in modern animal agriculture.

Key Facts

Gestation crates are banned in the EU, UK, Canada, and several US states but remain legal in most of the world
Sows spend approximately 114 days in gestation, with crate systems confining them for 84-110 days of this period
Confinement causes severe muscle atrophy, stereotypic behaviours, and inability to perform any natural behaviour
Brazil, China, and the US are major pork producers where crate use remains dominant

Welfare Considerations

Sows in gestation crates cannot walk, turn around, or engage in natural social, exploratory, or nesting behaviour. Chronic frustration leads to bar-biting, rooting against concrete, and learned helplessness. Physical consequences include muscle weakness, pressure sores, and urinary tract infections. Welfare science consensus is that gestation crates cause severe and prolonged suffering. Group housing with adequate space and enrichment represents the gold standard for sow welfare.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for a global phase-out of gestation crates through Humane Society International
Choose pork products from producers verified as gestation-crate-free
Write to supermarkets and restaurants about their supply chain standards on gestation crates
Engage with import standards reform to prevent importing products from crate-confined systems