Animal welfare implications of surgical castration and its alternatives in pigs.

摘要: This paper constitutes a review on the welfare aspects of piglet castration that considers scientific literature published after 2004. Castrating during neonatal period (1 to 3 days age) is clearly painful. In addition, inflammatory processes may take place at sites incision, thus adding further pain procedure. Surgical with general and local anaesthesia, in combination long-term analgesia, has been shown reduce but additional handling injection anaesthetic, effectiveness limited safety margins have be thoroughly evaluated. Raising entire males whole fattening or immunocastration towards end are other alternatives benefits young pigs compared current surgical castration, some potential drawbacks regarding stress behaviour fattening. Based knowledge, it can concluded sperm sexing raising genetic control boar taint potentially preferable practices, need research, as these methods not yet available.