Current pig production systems reflect management decisions taken over a period of many years. The range of constraints on pig producers has grown rapidly and priorities are in the process of change. On the basis of the available evidence, the following conclusions may be made.

Less than half the pig breeding enterprises in the United Kingdom use sow housing which involves individual confinement and more than half provide dry sows with bedding. At present, there is a strong current interest in group housing systems.

In the parturition and lactating stages, farrowing crates are used in the vast majority of herds and the main current practical interest is in improving crate and pen design and husbandry techniques to assist in minimizing piglet mortality.

Less than half of the herds use fully slatted accommodation for newly weaned pigs and nearly one-third provide bedding. In the follow-on stage, less than one-fifth of herds use fully slatted floors and ‘fully controlled environment’ type accommodation.

There is strong current interest in fully slatted finishing housing but so far less than one-tenth of herds use it. Nearly two-thirds of herds use finisher houses which are not in the ‘controlled environment’ category.