Save the pig tail

Abstract

Tail biting is a common problem in modern pig production and has a negative impact on both animal welfare and economic result of the farm. Tail biting risk is increased by management and housing practices that fail to meet the basic needs of pigs. Tail docking is commonly used to reduce the risk of tail biting, but tail docking in itself is a welfare problem, as it causes pain to the pigs, and facilitates suboptimal production methods from a welfare point-of-view. When evaluating the cost and benefit of tail docking, it is important to consider negative impacts of both tail docking and tail biting. It is also essential to realize that even though 100% of the pigs are normally docked, only a minority will end up bitten, even in the worst case. In addition, data suggests that tail biting can be managed to an acceptable level even without tail docking, by correcting the production system to better meet the basic needs of the pigs.

Managing undocked pigs – on-farm prevention of tail biting and attitudes towards tail biting and docking

“…The tail biting level (average 2.3 %, median 1 %) on the farms in this is close to what has been reported by Finnish slaughterhouses (2.3 % in 2013, [8]), using the same definition of severity. It needs to be noted however, that this, by definition, only includes severe, clinical cases, and total tail lesion level (including milder lesions) is probably much higher, as reported recently by Harley et al 2014 [5] and in a study of Finnish pigs in 2000 [33].…”

“…As long as this is the case, it will be very difficult to implement a total ban on tail docking. Instead, it is important to communicate that farmers should not expect tail biting to disappear before tail docking can be banned [8], but that there is a need to find a level with which the producers can manage. This acceptance of a certain level of tail biting might be another factor why Finnish farmers manage with the tail docking ban.…”

“…By docking the tail, the tail biting risk decreases, although the procedure does not eliminate tail biting: in a recent study in Ireland, where 99 % of the pigs are docked, a prevalence of tail lesions of 72.5 % (including mild lesions) was still reported at the abattoir, with 2.5 % severe lesions [5]. Based on available studies, Valros & Heinonen [8] suggested that tail docking reduces the prevalence of severe lesions by about 50 %. Tail docking in itself, in addition to causing acute, and possibly chronic pain [9], reduces the risk of tail biting when keeping pigs in rearing systems with a higher level of risk factors, and thus might increase the risk of keeping pigs in a way that is not optimal for their welfare [8, 10].…”

“…Based on available studies, Valros & Heinonen [8] suggested that tail docking reduces the prevalence of severe lesions by about 50 %. Tail docking in itself, in addition to causing acute, and possibly chronic pain [9], reduces the risk of tail biting when keeping pigs in rearing systems with a higher level of risk factors, and thus might increase the risk of keeping pigs in a way that is not optimal for their welfare [8, 10]. Another important reason for favouring long-tailed pigs is that in non-docked pigs, the status of the tails can be used as a measure of the overall welfare status on the farm [11].…”

Porcine health management - the pig in a central position

“…Among PHM’s inaugural articles are a review article on tail biting in modern pig production by Anna Valros and Mari Heinonen [5], a research article on serum haptoglobin dynamics and a commercial porcine circovirus type 2 vaccine by Lorenzo Fraile and colleagues [6], and a research article comparing lesions found in pigs under organic/free-range and conventional/indoor production conditions by Lis Alban and colleagues at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council [7]. …”