 They can also be a hotbed for disease transmission to other animals and humans. They're under lots of stress in a crate, and more stress means more antibiotics. More and more antibiotics means higher chances of antibiotic-resistant germs coming into the environment. Dozens of U.S. companies, such as McDonald's and Cheesecake Factory, pledged to end the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs in their supply chains back in 2008.