Pigs on Factory Farms

On factory farms, breeding sows are used to make the piglets who are raised for meat. These mother pigs are forced to live for 3-5 years in crates so small they can't even turn around or lay down comfortably.

While they are pregnant, sows live in gestation crates. After they give birth, they are moved to slightly larger crates, called "farrowing crates," to nurse their young. These crates were invented because they require less work and feed than other living arrangements. Unfortunately, they also make the pigs who live in them very unhappy.

Sows who live in crates suffer because of the way they are raised. They develop sores on their shoulders and knees from rubbing against the metal bars of their crates. They also get leg and foot infections from standing and lying on hard, filthy floors.

Mother pigs never get out of their crates, so they are surrounded by filth all of the time and often get sick because of it. Because they are raised to be very, very large and lack exercise, sows also have a lot of leg and back problems and have trouble even moving around.

Terribly bored because they have no freedom, sows often become stressed out, sad and frustrated and often deal with their unhappiness by doing things like chewing on air or biting the bars of their crates.

Piglets who are raised for meat are not treated any better on factory farms. In fact, these piglets live in crowded indoor pens. When they are very young, their tails are cut off, some of their teeth removed and identification marks are cut into their ears, all without pain relief.

Many "factory farmed" piglets die when they are still very young. Those who survive are taken away from their mothers when they are three weeks old and crowded into small housing areas called "finishing pens." When they reach 6 months old, or gain at least 250 pounds, they are sent to slaughter.

Pigs living in factory farms don't get to breathe fresh air. The air they breathe is full of dust, dangerous gases and lots of other harmful things. Many pigs have problems breathing because the air around them is so filthy.

All pigs are eventually taken to the slaughterhouse. Many pigs die from the stress of being crowded onto trucks and driven to these horrible places.

At the slaughterhouse, pigs are supposed to be stunned before they are killed, but many of them are not and feel terrible pain when their lives are taken. More than 100 million pigs are killed for food every year in the United States.

Although pigs could live to be almost ten years old, "factory farmed" sows only live about three to five years and piglets raised for meat usually only live for six short months.