11. A more sustainable pig production without tail biting and tail docking

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.L.V. Larsen ◽  
H.M.-L. Andersen ◽  
L.J. Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Pig Production ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking

scholarly journals Rearing Pigs with Intact Tails—Experiences and Practical Solutions in Sweden

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wallgren ◽  
Lundeheim ◽  
Wallenbeck ◽  
Westin ◽  
Gunnarsson
Keyword(s):  
Stocking Density ◽  
Member States ◽  
Pig Production ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Council Directive ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Impact

Tail biting is a common issue within commercial pig production. It is mainly an indicator of inadequate housing environment and results in reduced health welfare and production. To reduce the impact of tail biting, pigs are commonly tail docked, without pain relief, within the first week of life. EU Council Directive 2008/120/EC prohibits routine tail docking, but the practice is still widely used in many Member States. Sweden has banned tail docking since 1988 and all pigs have intact tails, yet tail biting is a minor problem. This paper summarises and synthesises experimental findings and practical expertise in production of undocked pigs in Sweden and describes solutions to facilitate a transition to producing pigs with intact tails within intensive pig production in the EU. Swedish pig housing conditions and management differ in many aspects from those in other EU Member States. Swedish experiences show that lower stocking density, provision of sufficient feeding space, no fully slatted flooring, strict maximum levels for noxious gases and regular provision of litter material are crucial for success when rearing pigs with intact tails. To prevent tail biting and to eliminate the need for tail docking, we strongly recommend that EU legislation should more clearly match the biological needs of pigs, as is done in Swedish legislation.

scholarly journals A Review of the Effects of Non-Straw Enrichment on Tail Biting in Pigs

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Buijs ◽  
Ramon Muns
Keyword(s):  
Pig Production ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Tail Damage

Tail biting remains a common problem in pig production. As producers are reluctant to use straw to reduce this behaviour, we review studies on the effectiveness of other types of enrichment. Roughage, hessian sacks, compost, fresh wood, space dividers, rope, and providing new objects regularly can significantly reduce tail damage. These results should be interpreted with some caution, as often only one study per enrichment could be identified. No evidence was found that commonly applied enrichment objects (processed wood, plastic or metal) reduce tail biting significantly unless exchanged regularly, even though multiple studies per type of enrichment were identified. Many studies evaluated the duration of enrichment use, but few evaluated the manner of use. This hampers identification of combinations of enrichment that will satisfy the pig’s motivation to eat/smell, bite, root and change enrichments, which is suggested to reduce tail biting. New objects designed to satisfy specific motivations were shown to receive high levels of interaction, but their effectiveness at reducing tail damage remains unknown. More in-depth study of how pigs interact with non-straw enrichment, which motivations this satisfies and how this affects behaviour towards conspecifics, is necessary to optimize enrichment strategies. Optimization is necessary because ceasing tail docking in a way that improves pig welfare requires more effective enrichments than those described in this review, or alternatively, better control over other factors influencing tail biting.

scholarly journals Tranquillizing Effect of Passiflora incarnata Extract: Outcome on Behavioral and Physiological Indicators in Weaning Pigs with Intact Tails

Animals ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Grazia Pastorelli ◽  
Valentina Serra ◽  
Lauretta Turin ◽  
Veronica Redaelli ◽  
Fabio Luzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control Diet ◽  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Abnormal Behavior ◽  
Physiological Indicators ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Weaning Pigs ◽  
Passiflora Incarnata ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
Management Changes

Tail docking has been used in the pig industry to decrease the occurrence of tail biting behavior. This abnormal behavior has a multifactorial origin since it is a response to simultaneous environmental, nutritional and management changes. Given the calming properties of Passiflora incarnata, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with the extract in weaned pigs could result in a modification of behavior and physiologic indicators linked to stress. Weaned piglets (n = 120, mean body weight 9.07 ± 2.30 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 1 kg/t of P. incarnata (PAS). The trial was 28 days long. The presence of skin lesions was assessed at d-1, d-10, d-19, and d-28, and saliva samples were collected for IgA and cortisol determinations at the same sampling times. Results showed the PAS group was characterized by equal growth performance as the CON group, fewer ear lesions (p < 0.05), less aggressive behavior (p < 0.001), higher enrichment exploration (p < 0.001) and lower cortisol levels (p < 0.01). Time effect was observed for tail lesions (p < 0.001) and behavioral observations (p < 0.001). Additional research is required to determine the effect of P. incarnata extract using a larger number of animals and longer period of supplementation when risks associated with tail biting are uncontrolled.

The pig producer's perspective

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
J. Guise
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Committee Report ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThis paper is designed to demonstrate that practical, applied research, which is popular with the farming community, is an important part of the decision-making process. Three recent or current projects are described in areas where strategic and basic science has made an important contribution to the debate but has not provided solutions. Confinement at farrowing, tail biting and fully slatted finishing systems are all areas of concern to producers and legislators alike and these concerns are not confined to the UK. The results of surveys of industrial practice have suggested that: (a) non-confined systems may perform as well as farrowing crates, (b) tail-docking appears an effective control measure for tail biting but more importantly, the relative influence of different management practices is measurable using the techniques described and could provide solutions to the tail-biting problem, and (c) experimental studies of finishing systems have produced ambivalent results and a new approach may be of value. The recent Scientific Veterinary Committee Report of the European Union is used extensively as the basis for the discussion.

scholarly journals On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Suckling Piglets: A Pilot Study

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1016
Author(s):  
Marika Vitali ◽  
Elena Santacroce ◽  
Federico Correa ◽  
Chiara Salvarani ◽  
Francesca Paola Maramotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
The Body ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Suckling Piglets ◽  
On Farm

Piglets experience welfare issues during the nursery phase. This pilot study aimed to test a protocol for identifying the main welfare issues in suckling piglets and to investigate relationships among animal-based indicators and management conditions. Litters (n = 134), composed of undocked and tail-docked piglets, were assessed at two farms. After birth, observations were made at the age of 7 days and 20 days. At each observation, housing conditions (HCs) were measured, and 13 animal-based indicators, modified from Welfare Quality, Classyfarm, Assurewel and others introduced ex novo, were recorded. A generalized linear mixed model was used, considering animal-based indicators as dependent variables and farm, piglets’ age, tail docking and HCs as independent variables. The main welfare issues were lesions of the limb (32.6%) and the front area of the body (22.8%), a poor body condition score (BCS) (16.1%), ear lesions (15.5%), and tail lesions (9.7%). Negative social behaviour (e.g., fighting and biting) represented 7.0% of the active behaviour, with tail biting observed in 8.7% of the piglets. While lesions on the front areas of the body were mostly associated with the farm, tail lesions, low BCS, tear staining, and diarrhoea were associated with light and nest temperature (p < 0.05). In particular, tail biting increased with scarce light (p = 0.007). Tail docking did not influence any animal-based indicator except for tear staining which was higher in the tail-docked as compared to the undocked piglets (p = 0.05), increasing awareness on this practice as a source of negative emotion in piglets. The protocol tested may be a promising tool for assessing on-farm piglets’ welfare.

scholarly journals Tail Docking in Pigs: A Review on its Short- And Long-Term Consequences and Effectiveness in Preventing Tail Biting

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 3095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleonora Nannoni ◽  
Tsampika Valsami ◽  
Luca Sardi ◽  
Giovanna Martelli
Keyword(s):  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Long Term Consequences

Tail docking and the rearing of heavy pigs: The role played by gender and the presence of straw in the control of tail biting. Blood parameters, behaviour and skin lesions

2013 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 825-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalisa Scollo ◽  
Guido Di Martino ◽  
Lebana Bonfanti ◽  
Anna Lisa Stefani ◽  
Eliana Schiavon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skin Lesions ◽  
Blood Parameters ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking

scholarly journals Impact of amount of straw on pig and pen hygiene in partly slatted flooring systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torun Wallgren ◽  
Nils Lundeheim ◽  
Stefan Gunnarsson
Keyword(s):  
External Factors ◽  
Exploratory Behaviour ◽  
Abnormal Behaviour ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Commercial Farming ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Finishing Pig ◽  
Commercial Farms ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Straw is a beneficial enrichment material for pigs, shown to improve welfare through reducing tail biting. Straw has previously been identified as one of the means of how to raise pigs without tail docking, through improving natural exploratory behaviour. Straw has however been linked to poor pen hygiene, making farmers reluctant to use straw and has largely not been implemented in commercial farming worldwide. Straw is a beneficial enrichment material for pigs, shown to improve welfare and reduce abnormal behaviour such as tail biting. Results: This study investigates the impact of straw on pig and pen hygiene in pens with partly slatted floor in three grower and four finishing pig batches on five commercial farms (2329 pigs, 211 pens) in Sweden which were providing straw daily. Each batch was divided into two treatments; Control: 50-600g straw/pen/day based on the farm normal straw ration; and Extra straw; (=doubled Control ration). The pens were scored based on cleanliness of the pigs, solid and slatted pen floor every second week. The pig and pen hygiene were mostly scored as clean in both treatments, overall around 1% of the observations were considered dirty/soiled.Conclusions: As very few pens or pigs were considered dirty, it was concluded that straw provision is possible without risking poor pig and pen hygiene. Few observations in this study were considered dirty regardless of amount of straw that was provided, and had likely to do with other factors in the production rather than straw ration. These results implies that straw could be used in partly slatted pens in order to improve pig environment but more research is needed to quantify the impact of other external factors related to climate (e.g. temperature, humidity, velocity).

Understanding and preventing tail biting in pigs

2021 ◽  
pp. 361-400
Author(s):  
Sandra Edwards ◽  
◽  
Anna Valros ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid Metabolism ◽  
Inflammatory Cytokine ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
Behavioural Problem ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Commercial Practice ◽  
Tail Biting ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
The Many

Tail biting is a behavioural problem of pigs which is associated with welfare detriment for both the perpetrator and victim. It is seen to some extent on most farms worldwide and causes considerable economic loss, leading to widespread adoption of tail docking for risk reduction. Its occurrence is often sporadic and unpredictable, as a result of the many different combinations of chronic and acute risk factors which can be present on individual farms. Understanding of the underlying (neuro)physiological mechanisms which lead an individual pig to initiate tail biting is still incomplete, but stress, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, changes in amino acid metabolism and serotonergic brain pathways have been implicated. Rearing pigs with undocked tails and without tail biting is still challenging in commercial practice and requires a high quality of management and stockmanship to minimise risk, detect early warning signs of biting and intervene appropriately.

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