Hell on Earth

Last night at the fair we visited the Miracle of Birth center. In the large and fertile building are animals who just gave birth, are giving birth at the moment, or will give birth soon. They had cows, sheep, ducks, chickens and pigs. There were more pigs than any other kind of animal. These mother pigs were laying in farrowing pens. Farrowing pens are used prior to and for 21 days after the mother gives birth. Here is a picture:

We saw quite a few pigs in farrowing pens. Some were lying with their little piglets. At first glance the scene seems maternal and quaint. As I watched I got less comfortable. Some of those piglets are very rough on their mother. They poke their piglet snouts into her side about 25 times before grasping the nipple and sucking. They yank on her. The piglets pull the teat to the right and to the left. I saw one pig try and move away from the greedy piglets because they were being, well, piggish. She can't move. The farrowing pens prevent her from moving. She can't roll over. She can barely stand. She can't move forward or backward. The farrowing pens prevent piglets from becoming pork pancakes but the poor Momma Pig can't catch a break. I felt so bad for the pig that I couldn't watch her anymore. I moved onto the next pig. This pig hadn't given birth yet. She looked uncomfortable. She sounded uncomfortable. She might have been in labor. She was trying to stand in her farrowing pen. She got her southern end up but her head and shoulders were still on the cage floor. Wow, pigs have long backs. Anyway, I watched her try to get comfortable. She ended up flopping back down on the floor. I felt a huge rush of sympathy for this pig. I remember giving birth. I wasn't at my best. I would hate to be confined in a farrowing pen and on display. I cannot imagine anything worse except to have to stay in that same pen for 21 freaking days with a dozen piggy piglets molesting and pulling at me. I would loose my mind. Hell on earth is at the Minnesota State Fair - Miracle of Birth building. I am grateful I'm not a pig on display. I'm grateful I'm not pregnant and never gonna be pregnant again. I'm grateful I am a vegetarian.