RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Humane Society says breeding pigs are being abused at a Virginia factory farm owned by a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.

The organization said Wednesday that female pigs were crammed inside gestation crates that severely limited their ability to move at a Waverly, Va., farm run by Murphy-Brown.

Murphy-Brown is the livestock production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods and is the world’s largest producer of pigs for slaughter. Smithfield Foods says care and safety is its top priority and that it has began an investigation.

Seven states have passed laws banning gestation crates.

Copyright 2010 The AP.