Abstract
Simple SummarySurgical castration of male piglets without pain treatment and anaesthesia is not only a welfare problem but also violates the integrity of the animals. The favoured alternatives of raising entire male pigs (EM) with or without immunocastration (vaccination against boar taint) may, however, impose additional welfare problems under the current housing and management conditions. This focused review is intended to summarise the current state of scientific knowledge and practical reports on critical welfare issues and risk factors. Raising EM with or without subsequent immunocastration could be a welfare conform, future-oriented alternative to conventional surgical castration of pigs, provided that they are kept in a healthy and socially stable environment with sufficient physical resources, as safeguarded by measures of enhanced animal care and management control.For a long time, scientists assumed that newborns have a severely limited sense of pain (if any). However, this assumption is wrong and led to a “start of the exit” from piglet surgical castration. Some of the currently discussed or already implemented alternatives such as general or local anaesthesia during surgical castration raise additional welfare concerns as well as legal problems and/or are hardly applicable. The favoured long-term, welfare-friendly “gold standard” is to raise entire male pigs (EM). However, this may also impose certain welfare problems under the current conventional housing and management conditions. The specific types of behaviour displayed by EM such as mounting and aggressive behaviours but also increased exploration, which are partially linked to sexual maturation, increase the risk for injuries. The current status of knowledge (scientific literature and farmer experiences) on housing of EM suggests that environmental enrichment, space, group-stability, social constellation, feeding (diet and feeder space), health and climate control are critical factors to be considered for future housing systems. From an animal welfare point of view, an intermediate variant to be favoured to reduce problematic behaviour could be to slaughter EM before reaching puberty or to immunize boars early on to suppress testicular function. Immunization against endogenous GnRH can reduce EM-specific problems after the 2nd vaccination.
Highlights
The castration of both male and female domestic pigs has a tradition going back thousands of years
The following condensed review summarizes the current status of knowledge on the type and frequency of welfare problems associated with housing and management of male pigs that are not surgically castrated, either with immunocastration or without
Holinger et al [26] reported that entire male pigs (EM) performed manipulative behaviours towards pen mates more frequently, this did not result in an apparent increase in skin, ear or tail lesions
Summary
The castration of both male and female domestic pigs has a tradition going back thousands of years. The fact that castration of male piglets is still carried out without pain treatment and anaesthesia is based on a long-prevailing scientific view according to which newborns have a generally reduced sensation of pain and can be exposed to surgical procedures without analgesia and anaesthesia. The following condensed review summarizes the current status of knowledge on the type and frequency of welfare problems associated with housing and management of male pigs that are not surgically castrated, either with immunocastration (immunocastrates) or without (entire males, EM) Both categories of animals are very similar until the immunocastration has become effective. Based on the current state of scientific knowledge and practical reports, critical issues and risk factors are discussed from which recommendations on future housing and management of EM are given
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