The hog industry is losing sows—pigs that are raised solely for the purpose of breeding other pigs—at an increasing rate. Reports vary, but the number shared last year at an annual gathering of pork ...

For most pregnant pigs on big factory farms in the U.S., each four-month gestation is spent in a tiny crate. The sows can stand up but can’t turn around or take more than a couple of steps. Slats in ...