Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Pigs kept for meatproduction are often surgically castrated to prevent aggression and boartainted meat. Castration without analgesia and anesthesia is painful and causes a lot of stress to the pig. There are alternatives such as to surgically castrate the male pigs with analgesia and/or with anesthesia, immunocastrate or keep them as intact males. In Sweden the most common practice is to surgically castrate the pigs before they are seven days old. The impact on the pig is that the incision causes pain and stress, which may lead to changes in behaviour, reduced appetite, reduced growth and a higher risk of infections. There are alternatives that may be in favor for the welfare of the pig. The aim of this study is to analyse those alternatives that can be used in pig production in Sweden and to evaluate whether the welfare of the pigs could improve with alternative methods compared to surgical castration without analgesia and anesthesia.

This study contains a literature research and interviews with pig meat producers. Three producers representing each field: surgical castration with analgesia and anesthesia, immunovaccination and keeping of intact males have contributed with their opinions.

Keeping intact male pigs may lead to aggression between the males and this may cause injuries and increased stress, which can cause a reduced growth rate and a lower welfare for the pigs. By enriching their environment and giving them enough space to be able to avoid fights and to give them opportunity to redirect their behaviour to the enrichment instead of their pen mates, they might have a satisfying welfare. There is also a difference between breeds when it comes to levels of boar taint and age of sexual maturity. If the pig is slaughtered at a lower slaughter weight the problems with aggression and poor meat quality can be reduced.