Devon farm footage prompts calls to ban restrictive pens for pregnant pigs

Welfare of sows confined to farrowing crates was compromised and they displayed signs of extreme stress, experts say

The use of restrictive pens to temporarily house pregnant pigs in the UK severely compromises their welfare, can traumatise them and should be banned, experts have said.

Analysis by Animal Equality UK of footage collected from a farm in Devon showed that three pregnant sows in farrowing crates spent more than 90% of their time lying down, with one not standing up at all for a day. On average, between them they bit the bars (a sign of extreme stress) more than once an hour.