Cargill has announced it’s moving its sow housing from gestation crates to group housing by the end of 2015. It’s also asking its contract hog farms to make the switch by the end of 2017. South Dakota Pork Producer Council President Lester Moeller of Miller says the decision isn’t a big concern for producers. He says everyone should have the option of choosing what housing they want on their operations.
Moeller says the trend appears to be moving toward that type of housing.
Cargill leaders say that the switch to group housing is largely in response to calls from the marketplace to move away from traditional crates and an increasing interest in sow welfare.