Workshops on entire male pigs and boar taint

Surgical castration has been long used to prevent consumers from experiencing boar taint in meat from entire male pigs, which is a large problem in the pig producing industry in Europe. Due to animal welfare issues, the European Union (EU) now wants an alternative to surgical castration. The European Commission and representatives of European pig farmers, meat industry, traders, retailers, scientists and NGOs have recently committed themselves to plan to voluntarily end surgical castration of pigs in Europe by January 1st, 2018 (European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs; SANCO 2010). 

Regardless of future measures to reduce the incidence of boar taint at the production level (feeding regimes, selective breeding, etc.), there will still be a need for rapid detection methods at the slaughter-line for sorting out tainted carcasses. This will also bring the opportunity to have boar taint-free and quality assured products, that also will contribute to also increase consumers’ acceptability of pork and pork products from entire male pigs. 

During the first week of December, the Product Quality Department will organise the following two events in the Auditorium of IRTA-Monells:

• 2nd - 3rd December: Meeting of the “EAAP Working Group on Production and Utilisation of Meat from Entire Male Pigs”. This meeting is academia oriented. 
• 2nd December: de 15:00 a 19:00 h. Welcome dinner (included in the registration fee)
• 3rd December: de 9:30 a 18:30 h.
• 3rd December (night): Dinner (at 20:00h, in Girona; optional -not included in the registration fee) 
• 4th December: “International workshop on rapid detection methods”. This meeting is industry oriented. From 9:30 to 16:00h.

Language: English