The search for viable alternatives to the gestation crate for dry sows has lead many producers to consider a return to straw based systems. Although such systems can provide many benefits for the sow and the producer, they are not without risks. Most of these systems incorporate group housing and it was problems associated with group housing that drove the development and adoption of the now conventional stall systems for dry sows. The big challenge, then, is how to incorporate the benefits of both group housing and stall housing into an economically viable operation. This paper will identify some of the welfare and production challenges of housing sows on straw and discusses
some ways to overcome the problems. Results from research and experience with hoop structures at the University of Manitoba Glenlea Research Station will be discussed along with examples of other successful straw-based systems.