jaon:Farrowing crates are fine if you understand how to use them - as an aid to good husbandry, not an alternative to it! It's not a bad idea to have one ready for emergencies even if you never use it. If your sow habitually lays on / savages her piglets and you really don't fancy a crate then turn her into sausages and get a different sow.

peter:Good answer, i bet if they were'nt called a farrowing "crate" people would not mind so much. What if they were called a piglet safety omething or other. The main problem is people dont know how to use them. As yet i have luckily not used it, but i know with one sow i will have too for 3 days, for her good and the piglets good.