what are the pros and cons

[Farrier!]

I have had 5 litters of pigs. All were outside in a large pen with just a small shelter. We had no problems and never lost a single baby.

 

[username taken]

jhm, you are spot on

but I will say, I have had some white pigs who are very good mothers, because they come from a herd of white pigs who have been kept in free stalls, no crates. So the selection pressure is there.

totally different thing if you take a white sow who has farrowed in a crate many times before, and suddenly farrow her in a free stall.

I agree, crates arent inhumane. It comes down to the welfare of the piglet, or the welfare of the sow. I figure the piglets are more important for a few weeks

 

[farmy]

It comes down to the welfare of the piglet, or the welfare of the sow. I figure the piglets are more important for a few weeks

I see where you are coming from, but can't both be considered. I think not being able to move or stand of your own free will is def. inhumane, and when we have taken in pregnant sows we have done everything possible to make it safe for the piglets... and we haven't lost any.

I think some people abuse farrowing crates. I have seen and been part of the rescue of sows with infected sores due to being in farrowing crates. Not to mention the mental h*ll it forces on them.

All that aside, I think that if your main goal is just to make money... then there is definitely an argument for farrowing crates. But if you are looking at the health and happiness of all the pigs involved in your breeding operation then I can not see using them.

 

[gaited horse]

I think that if i do use a crate she will spend a total of 12 hours out

 

[username taken]

are you talking about a farrowing crate or gestation crate?

gestation crate they are in for the duration of their pregnancy, and I have never found a need to use these

farrowing crate they are in just before they give birth, and then until the piglets are weaned, or at least large enough to prevent death from overlay

I dont see the point in using a farrowing crate but letting her out for 12 hrs a day, unless you are leaving the piglets in the crate area. If you let her out with the piglets you may as well just leave her to farrow in a free stall, the risks are going to be almost as great

 

[gaited horse]

I am planning on a farrow crate I hate the gestation crates. I meant 6 hourse sorry for the mix up. and that would be like 2 hours out 3 hours in 2 hours out after that then three more hours in etc

 

[lupinfarm]

Those rails are called pig rails lol, you put them in dog whelping boxes too. Make sure they're big enough so the babies can squeeze under if mom happens to accidently try to sit on them.

 

[KareyABohr]

We always used farrowing crates. They are meant to be used only for a short amount of time. The sows get the best feed and the cleanest water. The piglets survival rates are 50% more in some cases. Just use good common sense. The sow was NEVER ment to live in these.

I know this is a hot button issue, but imo, farrowing crates are fine for the short amount of time they are used especially with an agressive mama pig.

 

[no nonsense]

I think that it's sad how much the peta mentality has infiltrated our society. The mere mention of something like a farrowing crate or a layer cage equals abuse in many people's eyes. Often they don't have the slightest idea of exactly how these tools are used. They just know that they are "bad". I'm not saying that all commercial farming practices are good, or are not sometimes distasteful, but for once I'd like to see a heart tugging video set to mournful music, showing the results of some well meaning yet ill informed livestock owner who thought she was doing the right thing for her animals, however was in fact harming them. Instead it's always battery cage hens, pigs in farrowing crates or downer cattle, all carefully edited I might add, to show what appears to be the worst possible situations, all taken out of context. I suggest that just as many animals are harmed by the "kindness" of their owners; chickens in the house, ducks in the bathtub, or with diapers, hoofstock burned alive in barns because their anthropomorphic owners decided that they needed to be kept warm, or, suffocating in amonia drenched stalls because someone was afraid to provide proper ventilation because they thought it was too cold outside. Why isn't there an outcry against people who end up with a group of miserable parasite infested kids, because the owner wanted to believe that some magic dust she read about on the internet cured them of worms, instead of having to spend money on a decent wormer which time and again has been proven effective?

 

[jhm47]

NO NONSENSE---Ditto.