Crate-Free Pigs: The Global Movement
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The world is moving away from confinement of breeding sows in gestation crates, toward more humane crate-free production systems.
Who has joined the movement?
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Due to concerns for the welfare of intensively confined sows, legislative, industry, and corporate policies are increasingly phasing out the use of gestation crates.
Why a Crate-free world?
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Throughout nearly the entirety of their 112-115 day pregnancies, most breeding sows are confined in gestation crates (also known as sow stalls)—individual metal enclosures so restrictive that the pigs cannot turn around. Confined in these crates, sows suffer a number of significant welfare problems, including physical and mental ailments.