As the debate over the use of gestation stalls continues, it has become clearer that science is not the trump card in decision making, but it is still an incredibly valuable component. One of the most valuable characteristics about scientific quantification is its objectivity. This is what allows a scientist to clearly measure variables that are associated with a question. For example, a scientist could ask the question, “Are gestation stalls better for the welfare of pregnant sows?”
After the question has been established, a study could be designed to compare gestation stalls to other types of sow-housing systems through the measurement of the levels of substances in the blood that change in relation to a stressful environment, such as cortisol (a stress hormone) and glucose — or “blood sugar.”