The effect of pain relief at castration on piglet performance
The objective of this study was to determine if piglet performance could be improved by using analgesia during castration.
Page 5 of articles about castration
Netherlands – Commission authorising methods for grading pig carcasses
Due to technical adaptations and the fact that a change in the Dutch pig population is foreseen as castrated males are expected to be absent in the near future, the Netherlands has requested the Commission to authorise three methods for grading pig carcasses on its territory...
The effect of immunocastration on pig carcass and pork quality
Alternatives for reducing boar taint are being researched. One of the existing alternatives is immunocastration, approved in Europe since May of 2009.
Consequences of rearing entire males on the human‐animal relationship in a conventional and an enriched environment
Castration is notably used to reduce pigs’ aggressiveness towards humans and facilitate handling. However, there are no scientific data to confirm this. We compared entire and castrated male pigs reared in a conventional or an enriched environment.
United Kingdom – FAWC Opinion on mutilations and environmental enrichment in piglets and growing pigs
The Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) today launched its Opinion on mutilations and environmental enrichment in piglets and growing pigs. The Opinion advises Government about the impact on young pigs’ welfare of the various mutilations that they may be subject to during their lives. The procedures include tail docking, tooth clipping, identification and castration.
Physiology and behavior of pigs before and after castration: effects of two topical anesthetics
The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of two topical anesthetics to alleviate the pain caused by castration in piglets as measured by physiological and behavior indices of stress.
VION guarantees ‘uncastrated’ pork
VION Food Nederland will be able to supply Dutch retailers with pork from uncastrated animals as of 1 February 2011.
European Union - Voluntary end to the surgical castration of piglets by 2018
The European Commission welcomes the announcement made earlier this week that several main actors in the pig meat chain have agreed on a plan to voluntarily end the surgical castration of pigs in Europe by 1 January 2018.
Germany - Abandonment of piglet castration is approaching
An abandonment of piglet castration is approaching. Specialists believe that rearing the entire population of young boars is the best way to permanently abandon the practice of castrating male piglets without anaesthesia right across the board. That is the main conclusion reached by the expert workshop "Abandonment of piglet castration – status and perspectives" held by the Fed-eral Ministry for Nutrition, Agriculture and Consumer Protection together with QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH on 11 November, 2010 in Berlin.
Using serum cortisol to distinguish between acute stress and pain response following castration in piglets
This study evaluated the difference between the levels of cortisol in the plasma of piglets under stress (simulated castration) or in pain (castration), under controlled conditions.
USA - AVMA issues policy on swine castration, tail docking and teeth clipping
The American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) Executive Board recently approved proposals to replace the AVMA policy on swine castration, tail docking, and teeth clipping with two new policies.
Piglet castration
At what age can we castrate piglets? Is it possible to castrate without a general anesthetic? The new test on castration tries to resolve these doubts.
Alternative to surgical castration without anesthesia (I)
The administration of local or general anesthesia, accompanied in all cases by a long-lasting analgesic, eliminates or considerably reduces the pain caused by surgical castration. However, the use of these products has certain limitations.
Alternative to surgical castration without anesthesia (II)
Immunological castration also reduces sexual behavior and aggressiveness during the final weeks of fattening, in this way increasing the time dedicated to the ingestion of food
Impact of the non castration of male pigs on growth performance and behaviour − comparison with barrows and gilts
Growth performance, carcass quality, behaviour and general condition of crossbred (Pietrain x Large White) x (Large White x Landrace) boars, barrows and gilts were compared from a batch of pigs fed ad libitum and group‐housed both during the postweaning (eight‐nine pigs/pen) and the fattening (six pigs/pen) periods. Pigs were all slaughtered on the same day.