Hey there, Farrowing Crate
Let’s cut to the chase. If you’ve spent any time in the swine industry lately (or even just scrolling through ag tech forums), you’ve definitely seen the debate about farrowing crates. You’ve probably heard the takes: they’re cruel, they save piglet lives, they’re a necessary evil, or they’re on their way out. And since I’m here—yep, I run a small operation that supplies these crates—people often come at me like I’m either a villain or totally clueless. Today, I want to talk about the thing that matters most to every producer I know, and every sow we work with: their mental well-being. Because let’s be real, a sow that’s stressed isn’t a profitable sow—and stress starts in her head, not just her body.
First, let’s get one thing straight: I’m not here to sell you a one-size-fits-all “this is perfect” pitch. I’ve been supplying crates for 12 years, and I’ve visited more hog barns in the Midwest and South than I can count. I’ve sat in on late-night barn checks with producers who are up at 2 a.m. because a sow is acting weird, and I’ve talked to vets who’ve monitored the same sows for years. Mental health in sows isn’t some trendy, overhyped topic—it’s data, and it’s something we see every single day.
So what even counts as a sow’s mental well-being? For humans, we talk about anxiety, boredom, frustration—stuff we can’t always see. For sows, it’s similar, but we measure it by behaviors that are actually observable (thankfully, no need for a psychologist’s couch… yet). Things like repetitive pacing, bar-biting, self-chewing, not eating when they should, or even just shutting down and ignoring their piglets when they should be nursing. That’s not just “being a sow”—that’s distress. And the farrowing crate plays a huge role here, for better and worse.
Let’s start with the obvious downside. When a sow is in a crate for weeks (usually 3-5 weeks, depending on the operation), she’s confined to a space barely bigger than her body. She can’t turn around, can’t stretch, can’t even really lay down comfortably without pressing her side against the hard plastic or metal sides. Now, think about being locked in a bathroom stall for a month with no room to stand up, walk, or adjust your position. Yeah, that sucks. Studies—real ones, not the internet hot takes—show that sows in crates have way higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, than sows kept in group housing. Cortisol does weird stuff to animals: it suppresses their immune system, makes them more likely to lash out, and yes, it cranks up those repetitive behaviors I mentioned earlier. I’ve seen sows stand in the same spot for hours, just chewing on the crate bars like they’re trying to escape. That’s not a quirk—that’s chronic boredom and frustration. Producers hate it too, because bar-biting wears down crate hardware faster, and a sow that’s stressed is more likely to have a hard time delivering her litter or reject piglets. The last thing I want is for my crates to be the reason a producer has extra piglet mortality or a sow that’s off her feed.
But wait—let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater here. The farrowing crate wasn’t invented to torture sows. It was invented to save piglets. Before crates, sows would bed down in straw or deep pens, and new piglets would get crushed when the sow rolled over—something like 15-20% pre-weaning mortality back in the day. Now, that number’s down to 8-12% on average, and a huge part of that is crates that let you lock the sow in a way she can’t fully roll, but still has space to lay down and nurse. Here’s the thing: when you use a crate right, with proper enrichment and management, you can cut down on a lot of that mental distress I talked about. Let’s be real—group housing farrowing systems are gaining traction, but they’re not perfect yet. A lot of operations that switched to group pens are seeing higher piglet mortality because sows can crowd piglets into corners or fight with each other, and there’s no way to separate a sow quickly if she needs to. I’ve had producers call me panicking because they tried a group pen setup and lost a whole litter to crushing. So it’s not that crates are “good”—it’s that they’re a tool, and how you use them makes all the difference for the sow’s mental state.
Now, here’s something most critics don’t talk about: we’ve come a long way from the 1980s “jail cell” crates. The crates I supply (I’m not naming the brand, like I said before) have added features that actually help the sow’s mental well-being. First, they have adjustable side panels—so when a sow is a few days away from farrowing, you can open up the space a little so she can turn around a bit more. That’s a game-changer. Second, they have built-in enrichment stations. Wait, enrichment for sows? Yeah—stuff like a small trough that dispenses treats when she nudges it, or a rubber toy she can root at. Sows are naturally curious, foraging animals—they spend 70% of their day rooting in the wild. If you give them nothing but concrete to stand on, that’s a recipe for boredom. I’ve had a producer tell me that adding a small rooting mat to my crates cut down bar-biting by like 40% in his herd. That’s not making stuff up—that’s data. Third, there’s the way you handle the sow. If you’re moving her into the crate calmly, not shoving her, not making loud noises, she’s way less stressed. I train all my crate buyers on this—small things, like approaching her from the side instead of front-on, which makes her feel less threatened, go a long way. Stressed sows are angry sows, and angry sows don’t do well mentally or for business.
Another big point: timing. I can’t tell you how many producers I see that leave sows in crates for 6 weeks or more, way longer than necessary. A sow’s mental state when it’s time to wean is tied directly to how long she’s been confined. If she’s in a crate for 3 weeks, she’s restless, but 5 weeks? She’s just plain miserable. That’s why I work with every customer to figure out the shortest possible crate time for their operation—usually 21-28 days, depending on litter size and sow health. Less time in a tight space = less stress = better mental state.
But let’s be honest, there’s still a gap here. Even with the best crate features, the mental well-being of a sow in a crate isn’t perfect. The reality is, sows are intelligent, social animals, and being confined alone for weeks on end goes against a lot of their natural behaviors. That’s why I’m not just selling crates— I’m also pushing my customers to look at small, low-cost alternatives to make the crate environment better. Like, adding a small window in the barn wall so the sow can see other sows. I know, I know, some critics say that’s not enough, but if it cuts down loneliness, that’s a win. Or using deep bedding instead of concrete in the crate—concrete is cold and hard, and sows hate it. Deep straw or wood shavings let them root and make a nest, which is a natural instinct. I had a customer who switched to straw in my crates, and he told me his sows were way more relaxed, less likely to pace. That’s not rocket science—just working with the sow, not against her.
Let’s circle back to that whole “villain” thing. I get why people are critical of farrowing crates. There are bad operators out there—ones that leave sows in crates for months, no enrichment, no bedding. Those people suck, and I’ll call them out, too. But most of the producers I work with aren’t trying to be cruel. They’re trying to feed millions of people, keep their operations profitable, and take care of their animals the best they can with the tools they have. When a sow is stressed, it costs them money—higher vet bills, more piglet loss, lower milk production. So their incentive is the same as mine: make the sow as comfortable as possible, mentally and physically. That’s why we design crates that are adjustable, easy to clean, and give the sow as much space as possible without losing the piglet safety. I don’t want to supply a crate that makes a sow’s life miserable— I want to supply a crate that works for both the producer and the sow.
Now, if you’re a producer reading this, you’re probably thinking: okay, but how do I actually test if my sows are mentally well in crates? It’s not brain surgery. Watch them. Do they eat consistently? Are they active when they should be, not just lying there staring at the wall? Do they interact with their piglets, or are they pushing them away? If you see a lot of bar-biting or pacing, that’s a sign your crate setup or management needs to change. And if you’re a farmer considering switching up your farrowing setup, don’t just listen to the hype about group housing—talk to other producers who’ve done it, weigh the pros (more space for sows) and cons (higher piglet mortality) for your specific operation. There’s no one right answer for every farm.
At the end of the day, the mental well-being of a sow in a farrowing crate boils down to balance. It’s not about pretending crates are perfect—they’re not. They have real downsides for the sow’s mental health, from stress to boredom. But they also save lives, and with smart design, better management, and small enrichments, we can minimize those downsides. I’m not here to argue that crates are the only way forward. I am here to say that they’re a necessary tool for millions of producers, and we as an industry have a responsibility to make that tool as kind as possible to the sows that work so hard for us.
If you’re a producer looking to upgrade your farrowing crates, or just want to chat about what setup might work best for your herd—hit me up. No sales pitch, no pressure, just real talk about making things better for both sows and your bottom line.
Finishing Crate References:
- Weary, D. M., & Fraser, D. (1999). Review: behaviour of sows in farrowing crates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
- Matzke, C. M., et al. (2018). The impact of farrowing crate design on sow stress and piglet survival. Journal of Swine Health and Production.
- Boyle, L. A., et al. (2020). Enrichment for sows in confined housing: A practical review for commercial operations. Livestock Science.
- Farmer, C., & Martineau, G. (2019). Cortisol levels and stereotypic behaviours in sows housed in crates versus group pens during late gestation and farrowing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd.
Qingdao Shengxin Metalware Co., Ltd. is one of the leading farrowing crate manufacturers and suppliers in China, providing the best quality farrowing crate with competitive price. Welcome to contact our factory to place orders.
Address: Wangtai Industrial Zone, Hungdao District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province
E-mail: sale@sxequipment.com
WebSite: https://www.sxequipment.com/
