Moving gilts from a strawed pen to a crate during farrowing profoundly inhibits oxytocin, probably as a result of a stress-induced opioid-inhibition of hypothalamic oxytocin release (Lawrence et al., 1992). Other work suggests that confinement of gilts in crates for 5 days prior to farrowing protects the gilt against stressinduced inhibition of oxytocin. As producers introduce gilts and sows into farrowing crates at variable times prior to farrowing it is important to identify the minimal period of exposure to crates required to confer adaptation. This work tested whether only a short period of adaptation (1 day) to farrowing crates prior to expected farrowing date (EFD) would be sufficient to prevent stress-induced inhibition of oxytocin.