Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Animal Health

Is it time to move on from the farrowing crate?

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverOctober 12, 20164 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

The farrowing crate has long been a staple of the global pig industry, providing the dual services to pig producers of being efficient on space and protecting new-born piglets.

But there is a growing acceptance that the industry needs to come up with workable alternatives, which is why researchers and industry representatives gathered at a free farrowing workshop in Belfast last month, organised by SRUC and Newcastle University.

While 40% of UK sows are kept outdoors, and therefore farrow freely, very few UK indoor units have successfully moved away from crates, although some have tried.

This will need to change as consumers become more inquisitive about how their food is produced, according to AHDB Pork chairman Meryl Ward, who attended the event, which was sponsored by Sainsbury’s and the Scottish Funding Council.

She summarised the current state of play as a ‘triangle’, with consumer perceptions, the limited science and economic considerations throwing up a complex mix of opportunities and barriers.

“Consumers are becoming less accepting of farrowing crates,” Mrs Ward said, a perception frequently being reinforced by the focus on sows being confined in this way by animal rights campaigners.

“If you explain the farrowing crate to consumers, most would get why it was there but they would question why, in 2016, we cannot come up with something better to deliver the same outcome.”

Free farrowing group

She highlighted some encouraging findings from the workshop, such as the benefits of providing substantial nesting material pre-farrowing on piglet health and higher weaning weights among free-farrowed pigs, possibly due to reduced stress or easier access to teats.

But the science is only partially down the road to resolving the issues associated with free farrowing, the biggest of which is the varying maternal proficiency of sows.

Research has shown, in typical pig herds, many sows are capable of farrowing safely and effectively in free systems – but a proportion, in some cases up to 50%, are not and are unaware they should not sit on the piglet.

“This lack of maternal instinct has been masked by farrowing crates, which has meant breeding companies and farmers, when they select replacement gilts, have not had to take it into account. This needs to be addressed,” Mrs Ward added.

Then there are the economics of free farrowing and the need for more space, which is where Mrs Ward insisted the supply chain should take its responsibility.

Crates traditionally cover about 4.5-5sq.m per sow but non-confinement systems will necessitate ‘anything upward of 6-8sq.m depending on the system’.

A lack of recent investment means the average age of UK pig buildings is 22 years. Farmers need, not only the certainty that what they are doing will work, but a financial incentive to make the investment, Mrs Ward said.

The removal of the Agricultural Buildings Allowance has taken away the tax incentive to invest in this way and retailers are showing no inclination to pay more for pigmeat from these higher welfare systems, she added.

“Like the first free range system, the key is to reach a critical mass in the marketplace where it becomes easier. We have got to overcome the practical problems and make it affordable but at the moment there is no commercial incentive to do it,” Mrs Ward said.

FF Group Lactation System

“That has got to change and the supply chain has got to step up. Like it or not, the perception of animal welfare has changed and it would be completely wrong to put our heads in the sand and think this is going to go away.”

NPA head of policy services Dr Georgina Crayford said the workshop was ‘extremely informative’, highlighting the many alternatives to traditional farrowing crates being explored around the world but also the many challenges, led by piglet mortality.

“Experience of staff seems to be crucial to the success of free-farrowing,” she said.

“It is difficult to demonstrate the commercial viability of these system and our concern is that retailers will not be prepared to offer a premium for pork produced in free-farrowing systems.

“If the expectation is that free-farrowing will simply become the norm across the industry in the drive to improve welfare, but without the loss of performance, the question then is: Who will pay for it?

“Government funding for new buildings or subsidies to farmers to switch to free-farrowing, which are available to farmers in other countries, would help enormously.”

Full proceedings from the workshop will be posted at www.freefarrowing,org

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleOutdoor pig production must safeguard drinking water quality
Next Article Stockman’s rapid progress highlights the benefits of training
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

What the pig sector can learn from poultry’s avian flu response

July 8, 2025

Biosecurity a top priority in tackling antibiotic use

July 7, 2025

Will weight of numbers prevail, as ministers reconsider MOP labelling?

July 4, 2025
Latest News

ABN kicks off pioneering long-term mill project

July 11, 2025

Red Tractor to press ahead with new tiers for outdoor pig producers

July 10, 2025

Last chance to enter or nominate for 2025 National Pig Awards

July 10, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1760 Hampshire

    • Hampshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.