And in her case, the agony is prolonged for years. After impregnation, the sow is locked in a narrow metal gestation crate. The width of the crate varies from 18 to 24 inches, and the length extends just barely beyond the sow's own body. She is unable to walk or turn around. She is fed at one end of the crate, and her feces collects at the other.
Some crates are so narrow that simply standing up and lying down require strenuous effort.
On some factory farms, the sow is literally tied to the floor by a short chain or strap around her neck. Deprived of all exercise and any opportunity to fulfill her behavioral needs, she lives in a constant state of distress. A proof, they point to the fact that the sow continues to produce piglets. But it is the sow's strong reproductive system that enables her to continue reproducing in spite of the crate. The crate takes a terrible toll on these female pigs who suffer greatly from leg problems and intolerable stress.