Entire Male Pigs

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Objectives
   2. Learning goals
   3. Teacher page
2. Entire Male Pigs
3. Castration of male pigs
   1. Statistics
4. Legislation and enforcement
5. Origin of boar taint
   1. Androstenone
   2. Skatole
6. Reasons for castration
   1. Increase the proportion of fat
   2. Increase consumer acceptance
   3. Reduce aggression
   4. Prevent unplanned breeding
7. Surgical castration
   1. Traditional surgical castration
   2. Anaesthesia combined with castration
   3. Gas analgesics
8. Problems related to surgical castration
   1. Animal welfare
   2. Pain and behaviour - the acute response
   3. Reduced growth rate and changed behaviour after surgery
   4. Health consequences
   5. Effect of age
   6. Consumer awareness
   7. Labour cost
9. Alternatives to castration
   1. Slaughter at lower weight
   2. On-line sorting
   3. Management
   4. Breeding and sperm sexing
   5. Perceptual masking of boar taint
   6. Immunocastration
   7. Immunocastration - physiology
   8. Immunocastration - practical implications
10. Completion
    1. Comments
    2. Self-assessment
    3. Key messages
    4. Further reading
    5. Evaluation
11. Acknowledgement

Teacher page

Training employees in industry/at farms

• First, with your employees in groups, ask them to describe individually their process for the castration of piglets and give them a chance to comment on their process.
• Give them time to work on the content of this resource (preferably over one or two weeks) and to post their thoughts on the Comments page.
• Discuss how new methodology can be implemented, taking into consideration the specific circumstances and challenges.

Teaching students in higher education

• First, visit a farm and talk to employees responsible for the castration of male piglets.
• Give the students time to work on the content of this resource (preferably over one or two weeks).
• In parallel, let them work in groups. The task is to discuss alternative methods. The case study should be detailed and relevant to the target group.
• Ask the students to present the results of the case studies orally in groups, with each student giving and receiving feedback.