Pig Castration and its Alternatives

Table of Contents

1. What this is about, who it is by and who it is for
   1. Orientation
   2. Aims and objectives
2. Introductory Quiz
3. Extent of pig production in the EU
4. Pig Castration in the EU
   1. Extent of Pig Castration in the EU
   2. How the prevalence of castration varies in different EU countries
   3. Proportion of pigs castrated across the countries of the EU
5. Consequences of raising entire male pigs
   1. What is boar taint and what causes it?
   2. Compounds related to boar taint
   3. Factors related to the presence of boar taint compounds.
   4. How boar taint compounds are perceived by consumers
   5. Anosmia
6. Methods of Pig Castration
7. Alternatives to Castration
   1. Production only of entire (uncastrated) males
   2. Production only of females / Spermatic selection
   3. Immunocastration
   4. Castration with anaesthesia and analgesia
   5. Summary of advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods
8. Attitudes of producers and consumers towards pig production methods
   1. Attitudes of the producers
   2. Attitudes of consumers
9. Summary and Post Tutorial Test
10. For more information
    1. References

Alternatives to Castration

Because of the disadvantages associated with the castration of pigs without anaesthesia, in recent years some alternative approaches have appeared. However not all of these techniques are yet sufficiently developed for use at farm level.

1

Which of the following alternatives would you think are currently available and in use? (You can choose more than one answer.) a) All males are left entire and uncastrated. b) Using spermatic selection, only female pigs are produced. c) Immunocastration through the use of hormone injections d) Surgical castration under anaesthesia and analgesia a) Yes, this approach is already in use in some EU countriesa) Not correct. In fact this approach is already in use in some EU countriesb) Yes that's correct. This technique may become viable in the future, but at present is still only available at laboratory level and there is still a long way to go before it can be applied in practice.b) No that is not correct. This technique may become viable in the future, but at present is still only available at laboratory level and there is still a long way to go before it can be applied in practice.c) Yes that's correct. Yes, immunological castration has been approved in all EU countries since May 2009.c) No that is not correct. In fact immunological castration has been approved in all EU countries since May 2009.d) Yes that is correct.d) Not that's not correct. This technique is in use.