Surgical castration of pigs: Will Europe succeed in banning this practice by 2018?

The phase-out of surgical castration of piglets in the European Union is, in theory, just around the corner. In two years, this painful procedure is expected to be banned in pig farming, according to the deadline set in 2010*. The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) therefore conducted an online survey to assess the progress made in various European countries regarding pig castration. The study assesses this practice in 24 member states. It also provides an overview of the feasibility and effectiveness of the alternative solutions that have been implemented. The results are published in the European Journal of Porcine Health Management**.   The castration of male pigs, performed to prevent the development of aggressive or undesirable sexual behavior and to reduce boar taint, is a painful and stressful procedure that affects animal welfare. To phase out this practice in Europe, the European Commission brought together various stakeholders in the swine industry (veterinarians, farmers, meat processors, animal welfare organizations, etc.) in late 2010. They then adopted the “European Declaration on Alternatives to Surgical Castration of Pigs”* with the goal of permanently eliminating this practice in all countries of the EU and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) by January 1, 2018. According to the first phase of this voluntary initiative, prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia must already be used for all surgical castrations as of January 1, 2012. In late 2015, the FVE and the European Commission decided to assess progress in the various countries concerned through an online survey. Each country was asked to provide estimates of the percentage of piglets that were castrated; castrated with analgesia and anaesthesia; castrated with analgesia only; castrated without analgesia or anaesthesia; and chemically castrated. A total of 40 questionnaires from 24 countries were included in the analysis. Following the survey, experts (swine veterinarians) from 9 countries were consulted to verify the responses and obtain more detailed information.  

2.7% of European pigs are immunocastrated

In 19 of the 24 countries that participated in the survey, more than 80% of pigs are surgically castrated . In Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—which primarily produce intact males—this rate drops to 20%. Overall, of the 61% of male pigs surgically castrated in Europe, only 5% received anesthesia (most often procaine) and analgesia (primarily meloxicam, ketoprofen, flunixin, and azaperone), 41% received analgesia alone, and 54% received neither anaesthetic nor analgesia (compared to 79% in 2010). In half of the countries surveyed, the method of anaesthesia and analgesia used is not effective. However, those that have been using it for a long time, such as Norway (99% of piglets castrated under anaesthesia and with postoperative analgesia), Switzerland (97%), the Netherlands (30%), and Sweden (24%), on the other hand, consider this protocol to be practical and effective. As for immunocastration, it accounts for an average of 2.7% of the male pig population (median 0.2%) in the countries studied. Belgium has the highest percentage, with 18% of pigs undergoing immunocastration. Chemical castration is also on the rise in the Czech Republic, Norway, Romania, Spain, and Sweden. Similarly, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium have seen an increase in the production of uncastrated males in recent years, and the increase is even more pronounced in the Netherlands. According to the survey, 7 countries castrate more than 70% of their male piglets using analgesia alone. In France, half of the castrated pigs received analgesia. In most other countries, only about 10% of castrated animals receive an analgesic. However, over the past three to five years, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, and Luxembourg have seen an increase in the number of piglets castrated under anesthesia and/or analgesia.  

An Incomplete Picture

However, in most countries, reliable statistical data on the number of pigs castrated and the methods used are lacking or unavailable. Consequently, the results of the FVE survey cannot reflect the situation across all of Europe, nor can they provide a complete picture. Nevertheless, based on the figures obtained, it appears that the deadlines of January 1, 2012 (castration of all pigs raised in EU and EFTA countries under prolonged analgesia and/or anaesthesia) and January 1, 2018 (phase-out of surgical castration of pigs) are not being met in the majority of countries. The ultimate goal is far from being achieved. While several countries have set deadlines for banning surgical castration without analgesia and/or anaesthetic anesthesia, none have scheduled a definitive end to this procedure. Nevertheless, depending on the country, immunocastration and the production of intact males are considered promising alternatives to surgical castration, even though the percentage of immunocastrated piglets remains very low and only five countries no longer castrate male pigs. At the same time, the effectiveness of analgesia alone in relieving postoperative pain remains to be demonstrated. The priority for further progress is now to reach a consensus on a set of practical and effective protocols for analgesia and/or anaesthesia, both at the national and European levels. However, given the current economic climate, the authors of the survey fear that European farmers will be reluctant to implement the measures outlined in the “European Declaration on Alternatives to Surgical Castration of Pigs ,” unless they are made mandatory in one way or another. * https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/aw_prac_farm_pigs_cast-alt_declaration_fr.pdf ** http://porcinehealthmanagement.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40813-016-0046-x