The short answer: choose a crate whose width matches your sow breed, whose flooring matches each zone of the pen, and whose piglet nest can be heated independently of the sow area. Everything else is detail.
1. Width must match your sow, not the catalogue
A crate that is too wide lets the sow lie across it and crush piglets; one that is too narrow causes shoulder sores and makes the sow reluctant to lie down calmly. Measure a mature sow of your breed from shoulder to flank, then allow 25–50 mm clearance on each side. If your herd is mixed, buy an adjustable crate — for example the hot-dip galvanized farrowing crate with 600–750 mm adjustment covers most commercial breeds without a change of model.
2. Height and gate design
Farrowing crates are normally 1000–1100 mm high. Under that, a tall sow can climb out; well over it, you lose light and airflow and the house feels closed. Gate design matters more than most buyers expect: a crate with front and rear gates opening from both sides lets you handle a sow alone. A crate with a single side-opening gate needs two people for every intervention, which is exactly when you have no time.
3. Zone the flooring
Using one floor type across the whole pen is the most common mistake we see. The lying area and nest should be plastic slat — warm, non-abrasive and kind to piglet knees. The dunging area should be cast iron slat — durable, hard-wearing, and unaffected by the heaviest animal in the pen. A half-slat crate that mixes plastic in the front and cast iron at the rear strikes that balance; the plastic slatted floor 1100×600 is the usual choice for the nest zone.
4. The piglet nest is where losses are decided
Piglets need 30–32 °C while the sow needs 18–20 °C. Heating the whole room to piglet temperature is both expensive and bad for the sow; failing to heat the nest costs piglets. A covered nest with a rubber heating plate — a fixed power plate, or one with a built-in thermostat — is the standard solution, and creep area separation with anti-crush bars gives piglets an escape route.
Quick comparison
| Crate type | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional fixed crate | Standard farrowing houses, low cost | Does not suit a change of breed |
| Adjustable crate | Mixed herds, retrofits | Check the latch holds under load |
| European free-access pen | Welfare certification, premium contracts | More floor area per sow needed |
5. Material and galvanizing
Hot-dip galvanizing with a measured coating of at least 275 g/m² is the baseline for a farrowing house, where humidity and ammonia attack bare steel continuously. Paint is not a substitute. For the most corrosive houses, stainless steel 304 side frames are worth the extra cost.
6. What to ask a supplier
- What is the zinc coating weight, measured — not “hot-dip galvanized”?
- Can the crate be supplied in my exact width, or only in catalogue sizes?
- Which floor type do you recommend for each zone of the pen, and why?
- Are installation drawings and staff training included?
Conclusion
Buy the crate to fit your sow, zone the flooring, and make sure the nest has its own heat source. If you are planning the whole house rather than one crate, our complete pig farm project service sizes crates, floors, feeding and ventilation together against your house drawing.