Intensive pig production has been developed to maximize productivity, improve feed efficiency, reduce production costs, and ensure a consistent supply of pork to growing human populations. However, the system has generated significant ethical, physiological, and behavioral concerns regarding the welfare of pigs. One of the most controversial aspects of intensive pig farming is the use of farrowing crates, which are specialized enclosures designed to confine sows during the period immediately before and after giving birth. While these crates are intended to reduce piglet mortality caused by accidental crushing, they severely restrict the sow's movement and prevent the expression of natural behaviors. The debate over farrowing crates represents a broader conflict between economic efficiency and the principles of animal welfare. Animal welfare is commonly understood through the framework of the Five Freedoms and, more recently, the Five Domains Model. These frameworks emphasize freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury, disease, fear, distress, and the opportunity to express normal behavior. In intensive pig production, many welfare challenges arise because production systems prioritize efficiency over behavioral and psychological needs. Although pigs receive adequate nutrition, veterinary care, and environmental protection, the inability to perform natural activities often results in compromised welfare. Pigs are highly intelligent, social, and inquisitive animals. Scientific studies have demonstrated that they possess advanced cognitive abilities, strong social bonds, excellent memory, and problem-solving skills. In natural or semi-natural environments, pigs spend much of their day rooting, exploring, foraging, wallowing, building nests, and interacting socially. Intensive housing systems, particularly those involving gestation stalls and farrowing crates, significantly limit these behaviors, creating frustration and chronic stress. Farrowing crates are narrow metal enclosures that allow a sow to stand or lie down but prevent her from turning around or walking freely. They are generally used during the final week of pregnancy and remain in place for approximately three to five weeks after farrowing until piglets are weaned. The primary objective of these crates is to minimize piglet mortality by reducing the risk of the sow accidentally crushing newborn piglets when lying down. Piglet crushing has historically been a major cause of