The importance ofslaughterhouses inmonitoring the occurrence oftail biting inpigs - Review.

Abstract

Tail biting inpigs represents avery serious problem inmodern pig farming, particularly with the intensification ofthe industry. Itis considered amultifactorial syndrome and can becaused byvarious factors, leading tosignificant economic losses through reduced weight gain and partial ortotal condemnation ofslaughtered carcasses due tosecondary bacterial infections. The aim ofthis article isto summarise the current knowledge regarding tail biting inpigs, with aprimary focus onthe use ofslaughterhouses for evaluating tail lesions and monitoring their prevalence. The introduction addresses the factors influencing the incidence oftail biting inpig farms and prevention strategies. Subsequent sections cover topics such astail docking, the negative effects ofpigtail biting, the advantages and drawbacks ofexamining tail lesions inslaughterhouses, and the methodical procedure for evaluating such lesions. Additionally, the article discusses the relationship between tail lesions and meat inspection findings, aswell asthe prevalence oftail lesions invarious European countries.