Sow stalls – a brief history

There was a time when pigs and sows were held in fenced pastures or outdoor pens. With the growing demand for pork, the industry professionalised too. When did the concept of sow stalls develop and what were their purpose? By Prof John J. McGlone, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States They call it by many names – the crate, the stall, the box, a pen, a case, individual accommodation, and in the ultimate statement of political correctness and consumer cuddling – the in