Producer Perceptions of the Prevention of Tail Biting on UK Farms: Association to Bedding Use and Tail Removal Proportion.

Anna Valros,Claire Barber

doi:10.3390/ani9090628

Abstract

Simple SummaryTail biting is a serious behavioural problem in modern pig production which causes both animal welfare challenges and economic losses. The aim of this study was to collect information on the perceptions of farmers on how to best prevent tail biting, and on their attitudes towards tail biting and docking. Further, the aim was to investigate if perceptions are influenced by the specific system of farming, with a focus on different levels of bedding use and different tail docking practices. To achieve the goal, pig producers in the UK were surveyed. The results show that producers rank the importance of preventive measures differently to scientists and other experts. This calls for consideration when communicating with producers, and for further consideration of producer knowledge, which might be based on a more holistic view than that of researchers. The study also shows that the perception of how to best prevent and intervene to avoid tail biting differs between farms of different types, and that these perceptions might be influenced by the farmers’ own experiences, which again, might differ between countries and farming systems.Tail biting causes widespread problems both for animal welfare and in the form of economic losses in pig production. This study was performed to better understand the perceptions of farmers on how to best prevent tail biting, and if perceptions are influenced by the specific system of farming, with a focus on different levels of bedding use and docking different proportions of the tail of their pigs. Pig producers in the UK were surveyed on their perceptions of the efficacy of preventive measures and attitudes towards tail biting and docking. In total, 204 responses were included. The results show that producers rank the importance of preventive measures differently to scientists and other experts. This calls for consideration when communicating with producers; and for better integration of knowledge based on practical experiences with scientific results. The study also shows that the perception of how to best avoid tail biting differs between farms of different types, and that these perceptions might be influenced by the farmers´ own experiences—one example being that farms currently using plentiful amounts of bedding also value this more highly as a way to avoid tail biting than those that do not.

Highlights

Tail biting is a serious and common behavioural problem in modern pig production
The current study shows that producers in the UK considered most of the preventive measures listed in the questionnaire as at least somewhat important, with the mean being over 4 on a scale from 1 to 7 for all but two measures
Good water access in general is, considered a relevant risk factor by the HAT-tool, a husbandry advisory tool that was developed in the UK to help identify risk factors for tail biting [18], and fouled drinkers are further included in the AHDB WebHAT tool [19] as one of the risk factors for tail biting in pigs kept on straw

Summary

Introduction

Tail biting is a serious and common behavioural problem in modern pig production. Tail biting damage results in both production losses and reduced animal welfare, and it is important that tail biting is efficiently prevented (for a review, see [1]). Even though it does reduce the occurrence of tail biting, does not eliminate the problem [3]. Probably most importantly, tail biting is a multifactorial problem, and the risk factors include challenges in the housing and management of pigs, such as suboptimal climate conditions, problems with feeding and nutrition, health problems (clinical and subclinical) or lack of manipulable material [1]. Tail docking has been suggested to reduce the adverse effects of keeping pigs under suboptimal conditions and management [7,8,9]

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