Even those intensive farmers that are in favour of sow stalls would have to agree that this photo paints a very honest picture of sow stalls in use.

On their www.sowstalls.com.au website, Australian Pork Limited states:

"Sow stalls are an industry accepted method of housing sows, particularly during the critical times of embryo development in pregnancy, a time when the sow becomes heavy in pig and least active."

They also state:

"Pig farmers do not believe sow stalls, as regulated by the Code of Practice, compromise welfare."

Theses statements are incorrect.

All accredited members of FRPFA are levy paying pork producers too and we do not accept sow stalls as a method of housing sows and do believe that they compromise welfare.

Sows may become less active, or just a lot slower,  when heavy in pig, but they certainly do not become inactive.  They will roam many kilometres a day right up until they give birth when free range.

Sow stalls severely restrict the sow's ability to exercise at all. She may take a few steps back and forth, lay down, stand up but never turn around. To lay out comfortably to sleep, she must entwine her legs with those of her neighbour as this photo indicates.

Sows could spend their entire pregnancy in these units without any chance of exercise or stimulation.  How can that be in the best interest of the sow?

Because of consumer pressure, in the United States, the large Smithfield Foods company, which raises 14 million pigs annually at 187 piggeries, has decided to phase out sow stalls in favour of group, or batch, housing within 10 years. The European Union is planning to do the same by 2013.

In Australia, sow stalls will still be legal.  The new Model Code of Practice will continue to allow the use of stalls but their  size must be increased by 20cm and the sow is only to be held in these conditions for a maximum of six weeks.  Intensive farmers have been given 10 years though to phase in these new standards so, unfortunately sow's can still be held in a stall for their entire pregnancy for the next 10 years.

Sows squash their piglets, it is a fact.

Farrowing crates were designed to prevent the sow laying on her young.  Do they work?  Not very well.

The sow will still manage to lay on, or stand on piglets and the bars that are designed to protect them can be fatal as this picture would indicate.

What does work is to allow the sow enough space and the material she needs to build her own nest as nature designed her to do. Honestly though, it is rare in a large litter not to lose at least one piglet.  It seems mother nature intended it to be that way.  Are these confined crates really necessary?

Under the new Code of Practice,  the use of farrowing crates will not change.