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Editorial

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6 pages, 510 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Alternatives to Piglet Castration: From Issues to Solutions

by Ulrike Weiler, Maria Font-i-Furnols, Igor Tomasevič and Michel Bonneau

Animals 2021, 11(4), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041041 - 7 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3075

Abstract

Because castrated male pigs convert feed into meat less efficiently than entire males, they are less efficient regarding the utilization of resources [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review, Other

15 pages, 791 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Hydrolysable Tannins in Diet of Entire Male Pigs Affect Carcass, Pork Quality Traits, Amino and Fatty Acid Profiles, and Boar Taint, Skatole and Androstenone Levels?

by Ivan Bahelka, Ondřej Bučko and Pavol Fľak

Animals 2021, 11(3), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030896 - 21 Mar 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2954

Abstract

The slaughtering of entire males increases the probability of incidence of tainted pork due to the presence two main compounds—androstenone and skatole. If a surgical castration of young entire male pigs is stopped in the EU countries, fattening of boars is likely to [...] Read more.

The slaughtering of entire males increases the probability of incidence of tainted pork due to the presence two main compounds—androstenone and skatole. If a surgical castration of young entire male pigs is stopped in the EU countries, fattening of boars is likely to become one of the most commonly used systems in pig farming. Since skatole production and accumulation in fat tissue can be controlled by dietary approaches, several studies have investigated various feed additives to reduce this compound of boar taint. Ones of the most promising is tannins. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dietary tannin level supplementation on carcass, pork quality, chemical, amino and fatty acid composition. as well as perception of boar taint and accumulation of skatole and androstenone in adipose tissue. Eighty entire males were randomly distributed to control (T0) and four experimental groups. Control pigs received standard feed mixture (16.8% CP, 13.9 MJ ME) without any tannin supplementation. Experimental pigs received the same diet with administration of 1% (T1), 2% (T2), 3% (T3) and 4% (T4)—sweet chestnut extract rich in hydrolysable tannins for 40 days (from average live weight of 80 kg until slaughter at average weight 122.28 kg ± 5.63 kg). Dietary tannins supplementation did not show any significant effect on chemical composition, cholesterol content, and amino acid composition of muscle as well as fatty acid composition and androstenone accumulation in adipose tissue. A slight or small effect was observed on carcass and meat quality, respectively. Pigs in groups T4 and/or T3-T4 had higher electrical conductivity in semimembranosus muscle and cooking loss value compared to T1, T2 or T0, T1, and T2 groups (p < 0.05). Tannins in the pig’s diet greatly affected fatty acid profile in meat of entire males. The highest tannin levels (4%) increased concentrations of lauric, myristic, vaccenic, linoleic, total PUFA, and n-6 PUFA in muscle compared to the control. Similar results were found in group T3 except for vaccenic, linoleic, and total PUFA. On the contrary, concentrations of heptadecanoic and oleic acids in groups T3 and T4 were lower than those in T1 and T2 groups. Perception of boar taint using „hot iron“ method (insertion a hot iron tip of soldering iron into adipose tissue) tended to decrease in T2 group compared with control. Skatole accumulation in fat tissue was reduced in groups T2-T4 at significance level (p = 0.052–0.055) compared to the control pigs. In summary, tannins supplementation had no effect on chemical and amino acid composition as well as fatty acid profile in adipose tissue, and only slight on carcass value. However, 4% concentration of tannins significantly increased content of some fatty acids compared to control group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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10 pages, 1354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Immunocastration Protocols Successfully Reduce Testicles’ Size in Bísaro Pigs

by Gustavo Paixão, Sofia Botelho Fontela, Jorge Marques, Alexandra Esteves, Rui Charneca and Rita Payan-Carreira

Animals 2021, 11(3), 632; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030632 - 27 Feb 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2593

Abstract

This study aimed to find a suitable immunocastration protocol for male Bísaro pigs (BP) due to the breed and production system particularities. Twenty-five male BP were treated with Improvac^® according to three protocols: using two (GrpE2 and L2) or three vaccinations (GrpL3) [...] Read more.

This study aimed to find a suitable immunocastration protocol for male Bísaro pigs (BP) due to the breed and production system particularities. Twenty-five male BP were treated with Improvac^® according to three protocols: using two (GrpE2 and L2) or three vaccinations (GrpL3) and starting at 9 (GrpE2) or 13 weeks old (GrpL2 and L3). Eleven animals were kept as intact males (GrpC). Scrotal measurements and the morphometry of the testes and epididymides collected at slaughter were used to survey the effectiveness of the immunocastration compared with the age-matched intact controls. Animals in groups E2 and L3 were kept until 57 weeks, after a second vaccination cycle at 49 and 53 weeks of age. Scrotal dimensions decreased to almost initial values in treated animals until 17 (GrpE2) and 21 weeks (GrpL2 and L3), thereafter increasing to post-pubertal values until around 29 or 37 weeks of age for groups E2 and L2, respectively, but only at 41 weeks in group L3. Between 41 and 49 weeks, scrotal dimensions were similar in treated and control animals, decreasing to the predicted pre-puberty size after the second cycle of vaccination. This study suggests the most suited protocol for males slaughtered at older ages includes three administrations of Improvac^® starting at 3 months of age, followed by a second vaccination cycle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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31 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining Alternatives to Painful Piglet Castration Within the Contexts of Markets and Stakeholders: A Comparison of Four EU Countries

by Li Lin-Schilstra and Paul T.M. Ingenbleek

Animals 2021, 11(2), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020486 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3477

Abstract

To avoid the occurrence of boar taint in pork, the castration of piglets without pain relief is a common practice in many European countries. The public has been calling for more animal-friendly alternatives, which include anesthesia/analgesia, immunocastration, and the raising of entire males. [...] Read more.

To avoid the occurrence of boar taint in pork, the castration of piglets without pain relief is a common practice in many European countries. The public has been calling for more animal-friendly alternatives, which include anesthesia/analgesia, immunocastration, and the raising of entire males. To prevent potential trade barriers, the European Commission was initially more in favour of a single method. To date, however, only six countries have passed laws banning castration, and the pig farmers in these countries have chosen different alternatives. To understand the reasons behind the continuing fragmentation, this study examines the issue of castration within the context of four national pork production systems: in the Netherlands, France, Slovenia, and Germany. Drawing on in-depth qualitative data, the study demonstrates that stakeholders are generally willing to abandon the practice of piglet castration without anesthesia/analgesia. Their preferences for alternatives are largely dependent on contextual factors, however, including the structure, scale, and cost and quality orientation of the production system. The results imply that, although a single solution for castration is unlikely to evolve amongst the diverse pork-production systems in Europe, a future without the painful castration of piglets is possible if alternatives are accepted to coexist. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

15 pages, 1601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Early Immunocastration of Pigs: From Farming to Meat Quality

by Daniela Werner, Lisa Baldinger, Ralf Bussemas, Sinje Büttner, Friedrich Weißmann, Marco Ciulu, Johanna Mörlein and Daniel Mörlein

Animals 2021, 11(2), 298; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020298 - 25 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4614

Abstract

The study aimed to test a very early immunization of pigs to prevent boar taint with regard to its practicability and influence on production performance, its reliability in ensuring good meat and fat quality, and animal welfare. Immunization was already conducted at piglet [...] Read more.

The study aimed to test a very early immunization of pigs to prevent boar taint with regard to its practicability and influence on production performance, its reliability in ensuring good meat and fat quality, and animal welfare. Immunization was already conducted at piglet production stage and could be easily integrated into routine vaccination (week 3) and weaning practices (week 7). The fattening and slaughter performance of the animals was not affected by the immunization regime and was within the usual range. In addition, there were no abnormalities in animal behavior and the prevalence of injuries caused by aggressive interactions. All animals were classified as infertile on the basis of the histological examination of the testicles. However, the testosterone levels measured at slaughter were significantly higher in animals of the early immunization regime than in animals subjected to the standard immunization regime. Androstenone and skatole levels as the main components of boar taint were, on average, higher and varied to a greater extent in early immunized animals. Furthermore, the comparison of the immunization scheme did not result in significant differences for meat quality and for fatty acid composition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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20 pages, 1424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endocrine Fertility Parameters—Genomic Background and Their Genetic Relationship to Boar Taint in German Landrace and Large White

by Ines Brinke, Christine Große-Brinkhaus, Katharina Roth, Maren Julia Pröll-Cornelissen, Sebastian Klein, Karl Schellander and Ernst Tholen

Animals 2021, 11(1), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010231 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2480

Abstract

The surgical castration of young male piglets without anesthesia is no longer allowed in Germany from 2021. One alternative is breeding against boar taint, but shared synthesis pathways of androstenone (AND) and several endocrine fertility parameters (EFP) indicate a risk of decreasing fertility. [...] Read more.

The surgical castration of young male piglets without anesthesia is no longer allowed in Germany from 2021. One alternative is breeding against boar taint, but shared synthesis pathways of androstenone (AND) and several endocrine fertility parameters (EFP) indicate a risk of decreasing fertility. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic background between AND, skatole (SKA), and six EFP in purebred Landrace (LR) and Large White (LW) populations. The animals were clustered according to their genetic relatedness because of their different origins. Estimated heritabilities (h²) of AND and SKA ranged between 0.52 and 0.34 in LR and LW. For EFP, h² differed between the breeds except for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (h²: 0.28–0.37). Both of the breeds showed unfavorable relationships between AND and testosterone, 17-β estradiol, and FSH. The genetic relationships (r_g) between SKA and EFP differed between the breeds. A genome-wide association analysis revealed 48 significant associations and confirmed a region for SKA on Sus Scrofa chromosome (SSC) 14. For EFP, the results differed between the clusters. In conclusion, r_g partly confirmed physiologically expected antagonisms between AND and EFP. Particular attention should be spent on fertility traits that are based on EFP when breeding against boar taint to balance the genetic progress in both of the trait complexes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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17 pages, 1401 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Immunocastration on Slaughter Traits and Boar Taint Compounds in Pigs Originating from Three Different Terminal Sire Lines

by Ivona Djurkin Kušec, Emilija Cimerman, Martin Škrlep, Danijel Karolyi, Kristina Gvozdanović, Miodrag Komlenić, Žarko Radišić and Goran Kušec

Animals 2021, 11(1), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010228 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3009

Abstract

The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of terminal sire line (TSL) and male category (MC) on carcass and meat quality of commercial fatteners. The study was performed on 180 pigs originating from three terminal sire lines: A (Pietrain × [...] Read more.

The aim of the research was to investigate the influence of terminal sire line (TSL) and male category (MC) on carcass and meat quality of commercial fatteners. The study was performed on 180 pigs originating from three terminal sire lines: A (Pietrain × Large White), B (pure Pietrain), and C (Pietrain × Duroc × Large White), being assigned to three groups according to MC: immunocastrates (IC, n = 60), surgical castrates (SC, n = 60) and entire males (EM, n = 60). TSL affected most of the carcass and meat quality traits, together with the androstenone concentration. At the same time, MC had a significant effect on fat thickness, ham circumference, drip loss, cooking loss and androstenone and skatole concentrations. A significant interaction effect was observed for carcass length and ham circumference, as well as for most of the measured meat quality traits (except cooking loss, CIE L*, CIE b*, and Warner Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF)). Among the three investigated sire lines, immunocastration was shown to be most beneficial for fatteners sired by the TSL C. However, if deciding to raise EM, fatteners from the TSL B are recommended in terms of carcass and meat quality, although strategies for avoiding boar taint in their carcasses must be taken into consideration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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13 pages, 384 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carcass Characteristics and Primal Pork Cuts of Gilts, Boars, Immunocastrates and Barrows Using AutoFOM III Data of a Commercial Abattoir

by Kevin Kress, Jens Hartung, Johannes Jasny, Volker Stefanski and Ulrike Weiler

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1912; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101912 - 19 Oct 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3298

Abstract

The surgical castration of male piglets as a routine procedure in modern pig production is facing increasing societal criticism. Pork production with boars and immunocastrates are available alternatives, but both have low market shares as it is so far uncertain how the carcass [...] Read more.

The surgical castration of male piglets as a routine procedure in modern pig production is facing increasing societal criticism. Pork production with boars and immunocastrates are available alternatives, but both have low market shares as it is so far uncertain how the carcass characteristics and primal pork cuts of boars and immunocastrates will be estimated in comparison to barrows and gilts. This article therefore evaluates the impact of sex group (gilts, boars, immunocastrates and barrows) on carcass characteristics and primal pork cuts using AutoFOM III data from a commercial abattoir. In our study, weekly slaughter data from a total of n = 36,994 pigs between 2018 and 2019 were analyzed. The results show that gilts had the highest amount of pork per carcass of all sex groups, whereas non-significant differences between boars, immunocastrates and barrows could be observed. Boars had the highest lean meat content, followed by gilts, immunocastrates and finally barrows with the lowest lean meat content. These results suggest that both immunocastration and pork production with boars are sustainable techniques that can replace pork production with barrows without affecting carcass quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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14 pages, 818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fat Replacement by Vegetal Fibres to Improve the Quality of Sausages Elaborated with Non-Castrated Male Pork

by Macarena Egea, Daniel Álvarez, Irene Peñaranda, Nuria Panella-Riera, María Belén Linares and María Dolores Garrido

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1872; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101872 - 14 Oct 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

Based on the need to find alternatives for the use of meat from non-castrated male pigs that contains high levels of androstenone and skatole, the production of meat products (raw and Frankfurt sausages) with reduced fat content was proposed, as these compounds are [...] Read more.

Based on the need to find alternatives for the use of meat from non-castrated male pigs that contains high levels of androstenone and skatole, the production of meat products (raw and Frankfurt sausages) with reduced fat content was proposed, as these compounds are lipophilic. For this purpose, three batches of each product (total six) were produced. These included a control batch (1); normal fat content and two fat-reduced batches, where (2) fat was replaced with inulin and β-glucan, or (3) fat was replaced with inulin and β-glucan in addition to a skin grape by-product. These groups used meat from non-castrated male pigs that contained 6.25 µg/g androstenone and 0.4451 µg/g skatole. In general, fat-reduced sausages exhibited less brightness than did the controls. The texture results in Frankfurt were similar to those of the control, while Spanish sausage supplemented with grape skin exhibited reduced hardness. Both strategies resulted in a reduction in boar taint, and this reduction was up to 87.3% in raw sausages with grape by-products. Fat reduction could provide an interesting strategy to allow for the use of tainted meat from non-castrated male pigs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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22 pages, 1092 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Road to End Pig Pain: Knowledge and Attitudes of Brazilian Citizens Regarding Castration

by Maria José Hötzel, Maria Cristina Yunes, Bianca Vandresen, Rita Albernaz-Gonçalves and Raphaela E. Woodroffe

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1826; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101826 - 8 Oct 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4492

Abstract

We explored the attitudes of Brazilians towards different methods to deal with boar taint in pork (surgical castration without pain control, SC; surgical castration with pain control, SC+PC; immunocastration, IC; raising entire males, EM). Two surveys (Sv1, n = 441 and Sv2, n [...] Read more.

We explored the attitudes of Brazilians towards different methods to deal with boar taint in pork (surgical castration without pain control, SC; surgical castration with pain control, SC+PC; immunocastration, IC; raising entire males, EM). Two surveys (Sv1, n = 441 and Sv2, n = 768) containing closed and open questions were conducted. Nearly 70% of Sv1 and Sv2 participants were unaware that meat of entire males may have boar taint and that SC is widely used in pig production in Brazil. In Sv1, acceptability of SC+PC (63%) and IC (53%) was greater than of SC (15%). In Sv2, acceptability of IC (55%) and EM (52%) was greater than of SC (18%). Open-ended responses indicated that participants objected to inflicting pain to pigs to attain a production goal, and were concerned with organoleptic traits and risks of exogenous residues in pork. Participants’ views regarding the potential increases in the cost of meat due to adoption of alternative methods varied; some argued that avoiding pain justifies an increase in the price of pork and others that this would impact especially lower income citizens. Our findings indicate that participants opposed surgical castration without pain control, and supported alternative methods. However, the concern with potential risks of presence of residues in meat, expressed by a few participants, may need to be addressed among consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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25 pages, 4971 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploratory Survey on European Consumer and Stakeholder Attitudes towards Alternatives for Surgical Castration of Piglets

by Marijke Aluwé, Evert Heyrman, João M. Almeida, Jakub Babol, Gianni Battacone, Jaroslav Čítek, Maria Font i Furnols, Andriy Getya, Danijel Karolyi, Eliza Kostyra, Kevin Kress, Goran Kušec, Daniel Mörlein, Anastasia Semenova, Martin Škrlep, Todor Stoyanchev, Igor Tomašević, Liliana Tudoreanu, Maren Van Son, Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans, Galia Zamaratskaia, Alice Van den Broeke and Macarena Egea Show full author list Hide full author list

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1758; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101758 - 28 Sep 2020

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 5489

Abstract

Surgical castration of piglets without pain relief is still common practice in many countries. Possible alternatives for surgical castration are application of pain relief or anaesthesia or production of boars (entire males) and immunocastrates. Each of these alternatives faces advantages and disadvantages which [...] Read more.

Surgical castration of piglets without pain relief is still common practice in many countries. Possible alternatives for surgical castration are application of pain relief or anaesthesia or production of boars (entire males) and immunocastrates. Each of these alternatives faces advantages and disadvantages which may result in different citizen attitudes and consumers acceptability. Understanding which practice is acceptable to whom and why may further stimulate implementation. Consumer (n = 3251) and stakeholder (n = 1027) attitudes towards surgical castration without pain relief, surgical castration with anaesthesia, immunocastration, and production of boars were surveyed from April to June 2020 via an online questionnaire in 16 countries (>175 respondents per country). Surgical castration without pain relief was separated from each of the alternatives due to animal welfare and showed the lowest acceptability (32%). Within the alternatives, a further partitioning between the alternatives was based on perceived quality and food safety, with an acceptance of 85% for applying anaesthesia, 71% for immunocastration, and 49% for boar production. Differences depending on professional involvement and familiarity with agriculture could be observed, mainly for the acceptance of surgical castration without anaesthesia, immunocastration, and boars. Castration with anaesthesia was highly accepted by all types of respondents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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15 pages, 1789 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Local Anesthesia in Piglets Undergoing Castration—A Comparative Study to Investigate the Analgesic Effects of Four Local Anesthetics Based on Defensive Behavior and Side Effects

by Nora Abendschön, Steffanie Senf, Pauline Deffner, Regina Miller, Andrea Grott, Julia Werner, Anna M. Saller, Judith Reiser, Christine Weiß, Yury Zablotski, Johannes Fischer, Shana Bergmann, Michael H. Erhard, Christine Baumgartner, Mathias Ritzmann and Susanne Zöls

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1752; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101752 - 26 Sep 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4733

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of four local anesthetics on pain relief during surgical castration under standardized conditions in conscious piglets. Therefore, 71 male piglets (three to seven days) were distributed into control groups (handling, castration without [...] Read more.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of four local anesthetics on pain relief during surgical castration under standardized conditions in conscious piglets. Therefore, 71 male piglets (three to seven days) were distributed into control groups (handling, castration without anesthesia or analgesia) and local anesthetic trial groups (procaine, lidocaine, bupivacaine, mepivacaine). Then, 20 min prior to castration, animals of the treatment groups, except piglets in the handling group, received an injection of a local anesthetic or sodium chloride of 0.5 mL intratesticularly and 0.5 mL subscrotally. During injection and castration, defensive behavior was evaluated. Locomotor activity, as well as postoperative bleeding, wound healing and average daily weight gain were assessed to detect side effects. The injection caused increased defensive movements, significantly in the bupivacaine group. Lidocaine and mepivacaine significantly reduced defensive movements during castration, and procaine and bupivacaine only during severing of the spermatic cord. Impairments of locomotor activity were found in piglets injected with lidocaine, bupivacaine or sodium chloride. Considering healing, bleeding and weight gain, no negative impacts were observed. In conclusion, lidocaine and mepivacaine were able to achieve significant pain relief during the castration procedure, whereas procaine and bupivacaine only during the severing of the spermatic cord. Moreover, the injection of bupivacaine seemed to be painful itself. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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17 pages, 12211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing and Understanding Olfactory Evaluation of Boar Taint

by Evert Heyrman, Steven Janssens, Nadine Buys, Lynn Vanhaecke, Sam Millet, Frank A. M. Tuyttens, Jella Wauters and Marijke Aluwé

Animals 2020, 10(9), 1684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091684 - 17 Sep 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3308

Abstract

Trained expert panels are used routinely in boar taint research, with varying protocols for training of panelists and scoring methods. We describe a standardized process for training and scoring, to contribute to standardize the olfactory detection of boar taint. Three experiments are described [...] Read more.

Trained expert panels are used routinely in boar taint research, with varying protocols for training of panelists and scoring methods. We describe a standardized process for training and scoring, to contribute to standardize the olfactory detection of boar taint. Three experiments are described in which we (1) evaluate the importance of training and the effect of the previous sample, (2) determine detection thresholds on strips and in fat for our panel, and (3) test priming panelists before boar taint evaluation. For the final evaluation of boar taint, we propose a consistent three-person evaluation scoring on a 0–4 scale using a final mean score of 0.5 as the cut-off for boar taint. This gave an optimal sensitivity of 0.81 and a specificity of 0.56 compared to chemical cut-offs. Even limited training proved useful, but priming assessors with strips did not improve the evaluation of fat samples. Detection thresholds were higher in fat compared to strips, except for indole. We recommend panelists to always smell a non-tainted control sample after a tainted one as a ‘reset’ mechanism, before continuing. For longitudinal studies, we additionally advise to set up an expert panel with a fixed number of assessors performing each evaluation in duplicate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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18 pages, 290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Attitudes and Beliefs of Eastern European Consumers Towards Animal Welfare

by Igor Tomasevic, Ivan Bahelka, Jaroslav Čítek, Marjeta Čandek-Potokar, Ilija Djekić, Andriy Getya, Luis Guerrero, Sonya Ivanova, Goran Kušec, Dimitar Nakov, Bartosz Sołowiej, Maricica Stoica, Csaba Szabó, Liliana Tudoreanu, Ulrike Weiler and Maria Font-i-Furnols

Animals 2020, 10(7), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10071220 - 17 Jul 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4506

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory work, because of the existing bias on the size of the sample and some of the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, was to investigate the Eastern European consumers’ beliefs and attitudes toward animal welfare, to perform a cross-country [...] Read more.

The aim of this exploratory work, because of the existing bias on the size of the sample and some of the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, was to investigate the Eastern European consumers’ beliefs and attitudes toward animal welfare, to perform a cross-country segmentation analysis and to observe possible differences with their Western European counterparts. For this purpose, a survey was conducted with 5508 consumers from 13 Eastern European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine) using a questionnaire with nine statements about consumers beliefs regarding animal welfare (aspects of management, ethical issues about animals, and consequences of animal welfare on meat quality and price), one statement about the willingness to pay more for meat produced under better welfare conditions, and four statements regarding attitudes toward animal welfare. Differences between countries were detected for all the statements. Moreover, three clusters of consumers were identified: one with consumers indifferent towards animal welfare; one with consumers concerned about animal welfare, but they believe it is difficult to achieve; and one with consumers concerned about animal welfare, and they believe it is possible to achieve it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research, Other

16 pages, 619 KiB

Open AccessReview

How to Improve Meat Quality and Welfare in Entire Male Pigs by Genetics

by Catherine Larzul

Animals 2021, 11(3), 699; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030699 - 5 Mar 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3132

Abstract

Giving up surgical castration is desirable to avoid pain during surgery but breeding entire males raises issues on meat quality, particularly on boar taint, and aggression. It has been known for decades that boar taint is directly related to sexual development in uncastrated [...] Read more.

Giving up surgical castration is desirable to avoid pain during surgery but breeding entire males raises issues on meat quality, particularly on boar taint, and aggression. It has been known for decades that boar taint is directly related to sexual development in uncastrated male pigs. The proportion of tainted carcasses depends on many factors, including genetics. The selection of lines with a low risk of developing boar taint should be considered as the most desirable solution in the medium to long term. It has been evidenced that selection against boar taint is feasible, and has been set up in a balanced way in some pig populations to counterbalance potential unfavorable effects on reproductive performances. Selection against aggressive behaviors, though theoretically feasible, faces phenotyping challenges that compromise selection in practice. In the near future, new developments in modelization, automatic recording, and genomic data will help define breeding objectives to solve entire male meat quality and welfare issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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12 pages, 245 KiB

Open AccessReview

Welfare Aspects of Raising Entire Male Pigs and Immunocastrates

by Eberhard von Borell, Michel Bonneau, Mirjam Holinger, Armelle Prunier, Volker Stefanski, Susanne Zöls and Ulrike Weiler

Animals 2020, 10(11), 2140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112140 - 17 Nov 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5050

Abstract

For a long time, scientists assumed that newborns have a severely limited sense of pain (if any). However, this assumption is wrong and led to a “start of the exit” from piglet surgical castration. Some of the currently discussed or already implemented alternatives [...] Read more.

For a long time, scientists assumed that newborns have a severely limited sense of pain (if any). However, this assumption is wrong and led to a “start of the exit” from piglet surgical castration. Some of the currently discussed or already implemented alternatives such as general or local anaesthesia during surgical castration raise additional welfare concerns as well as legal problems and/or are hardly applicable. The favoured long-term, welfare-friendly “gold standard” is to raise entire male pigs (EM). However, this may also impose certain welfare problems under the current conventional housing and management conditions. The specific types of behaviour displayed by EM such as mounting and aggressive behaviours but also increased exploration, which are partially linked to sexual maturation, increase the risk for injuries. The current status of knowledge (scientific literature and farmer experiences) on housing of EM suggests that environmental enrichment, space, group-stability, social constellation, feeding (diet and feeder space), health and climate control are critical factors to be considered for future housing systems. From an animal welfare point of view, an intermediate variant to be favoured to reduce problematic behaviour could be to slaughter EM before reaching puberty or to immunize boars early on to suppress testicular function. Immunization against endogenous GnRH can reduce EM-specific problems after the 2nd vaccination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

18 pages, 1542 KiB

Open AccessReview

Strategies to Meet Nutritional Requirements and Reduce Boar Taint in Meat from Entire Male Pigs and Immunocastrates

by Giuseppe Bee, Nathalie Quiniou, Hanne Maribo, Galia Zamaratskaia and Peadar G. Lawlor

Animals 2020, 10(11), 1950; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10111950 - 23 Oct 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3682

Abstract

This paper reviews the current knowledge on the nutritional requirements of entire male and immunocastrated pigs to obtain an efficient growth, low boar taint level, and good carcass and meat quality. We present the reasons for offering entire males ad libitum access to [...] Read more.

This paper reviews the current knowledge on the nutritional requirements of entire male and immunocastrated pigs to obtain an efficient growth, low boar taint level, and good carcass and meat quality. We present the reasons for offering entire males ad libitum access to the diets in order to optimize their protein deposition potential. Boar taint is one of the major issues in the production of entire males; therefore, the impact of various skatole- and indole-reducing feed ingredients is discussed regarding their efficiency and the possible mechanism affecting skatole and indole production in the hindgut. Entire males have lean carcasses, so their intramuscular fat content can be lower than that of surgical castrates or females and the adipose tissue can be highly unsaturated. The possible nutritional strategies to counteract these effects are summarized. We conclude that immunocastrates can be fed similarly to entire males until the second vaccination. However, due to the metabolic changes occurring shortly after the second vaccination, the requirements for essential amino acids are markedly lower in immunocastrates than in entire males. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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27 pages, 1439 KiB

Open AccessReview

Feasibility of on/at Line Methods to Determine Boar Taint and Boar Taint Compounds: An Overview

by Maria Font-i-Furnols, Raúl Martín-Bernal, Marijke Aluwé, Michel Bonneau, John-Erik Haugen, Daniel Mörlein, Johanna Mörlein, Núria Panella-Riera and Martin Škrlep

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101886 - 15 Oct 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4166

Abstract

Classification of carcasses at the slaughter line allows an optimisation of its processing and differentiated payment to producers. Boar taint is a quality characteristic that is evaluated in some slaughter plants. This odour and flavour is mostly present in entire males and perceived [...] Read more.

Classification of carcasses at the slaughter line allows an optimisation of its processing and differentiated payment to producers. Boar taint is a quality characteristic that is evaluated in some slaughter plants. This odour and flavour is mostly present in entire males and perceived generally by sensitive consumers as unpleasant. In the present work, the methodologies currently used in slaughter plants for boar taint classification (colorimetric method and sensory quality control-human nose) and the methodologies that have the potential to be implemented on/at the slaughter line (mass spectrometry, Raman and biosensors) have been summarized. Their main characteristics are presented and an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) has been carried out. From this, we can conclude that, apart from human nose, the technology that arises as very promising and available on the market, and that will probably become a substitute for the colorimetric method, is the tandem between the laser diode thermal desorption ion source and the mass spectrometry (LDTD-MS/MS) with automation of the sampling and sample pre-treatment, because it is able to work at the slaughter line, is fast and robust, and measures both androstenone and skatole. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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26 pages, 1981 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Use of Pork from Entire Male and Immunocastrated Pigs for Meat Products—An Overview with Recommendations

by Martin Škrlep, Igor Tomašević, Daniel Mörlein, Saša Novaković, Macarena Egea, María Dolores Garrido, María Belén Linares, Irene Peñaranda, Marijke Aluwé and Maria Font-i-Furnols

Animals 2020, 10(10), 1754; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10101754 - 26 Sep 2020

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 7406

Abstract

Due to the strong public initiative in Europe and increased regulator focus to mitigate pain, surgical castration of pigs is being gradually abandoned, while the importance of other sex categories like entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC) increases. Although beneficial for animal welfare [...] Read more.

Due to the strong public initiative in Europe and increased regulator focus to mitigate pain, surgical castration of pigs is being gradually abandoned, while the importance of other sex categories like entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC) increases. Although beneficial for animal welfare and economics, their use also brings forward several quality problems. Besides the occurrence of boar taint in EM, these include excessive carcass leanness, softer fat, meat color and pH deviations, inferior water holding capacity and increased meat toughness. In this paper, the raw material differences between the male sex categories and their influence on product quality are reviewed, and possible solutions are presented. Using EM for dried or thermally processed products may result in lower processing yields and inferior sensory quality, which may partially be prevented by applying specific processing adaptations. Immunocastration is a viable solution, especially when prolonging the vaccination to slaughter interval. Low to medium levels of boar taint can be effectively managed in most of the meat products, applying procedures like cooking, microbial inoculation or masking (by spices and especially smoking), while highly tainted material can be valorized only by combining various methods and/or with dilution of the tainted meat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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22 pages, 1763 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pork Production with Entire Males: Directions for Control of Boar Taint

by E. James Squires, Christine Bone and Jocelyn Cameron

Animals 2020, 10(9), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091665 - 16 Sep 2020

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 6322

Abstract

Boar taint is caused by the accumulation of androstenone and skatole and other indoles in the fat; this is regulated by the balance between synthesis and degradation of these compounds and can be affected by a number of factors, including environment and management [...] Read more.

Boar taint is caused by the accumulation of androstenone and skatole and other indoles in the fat; this is regulated by the balance between synthesis and degradation of these compounds and can be affected by a number of factors, including environment and management practices, sexual maturity, nutrition, and genetics. Boar taint can be controlled by immunocastration, but this practice has not been accepted in some countries. Genetics offers a long-term solution to the boar taint problem via selective breeding or genome editing. A number of short-term strategies to control boar taint have been proposed, but these can have inconsistent effects and there is too much variability between breeds and individuals to implement a blanket solution for boar taint. Therefore, we propose a precision livestock management approach to developing solutions for controlling taint. This involves determining the differences in metabolic processes and the genetic variations that cause boar taint in specific groups of pigs and using this information to design custom treatments based on the cause of boar taint. Genetic, proteomic or metabolomic profiling can then be used to identify and implement effective solutions for boar taint for specific populations of animals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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1 pages, 155 KiB

Open AccessAddendum

Addendum: Werner, D.; et al. Early Immunocastration of Pigs: From Farming to Meat Quality. Animals 2021, 11, 298

by Daniela Werner, Lisa Baldinger, Ralf Bussemas, Sinje Büttner, Friedrich Weißmann, Marco Ciulu, Johanna Mörlein and Daniel Mörlein

Animals 2021, 11(4), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11040996 - 2 Apr 2021

Viewed by 1498

Abstract

The authors wish to add the following to this paper [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

1 pages, 181 KiB

Open AccessErratum

Erratum: Hötzel, M.J.; et al. On the Road to End Pig Pain: Knowledge and Attitudes of Brazilian Citizens Regarding Castration. Animals 2020, 10, 1826

by Maria José Hötzel, Maria Cristina Yunes, Bianca Vandresen, Rita Albernaz-Gonçalves and Raphaela E. Woodroffe

Animals 2021, 11(1), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010138 - 11 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1363

Abstract

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

2 pages, 198 KiB

Open AccessErratum

Erratum: Aluwé, M. et al. Exploratory Survey on European Consumer and Stakeholder Attitudes towards Alternatives for Surgical Castration of Piglets. Animals 2020, 10, 1758

by Marijke Aluwé, Evert Heyrman, João M. Almeida, Jakub Babol, Gianni Battacone, Jaroslav Čítek, Maria Font i Furnols, Andriy Getya, Danijel Karolyi, Eliza Kostyra, Kevin Kress, Goran Kušec, Daniel Mörlein, Anastasia Semenova, Martin Škrlep, Todor Stoyanchev, Igor Tomašević, Liliana Tudoreanu, Maren Van Son, Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans, Galia Zamaratskaia, Alice Van den Broeke and Macarena Egea Show full author list Hide full author list

Animals 2020, 10(12), 2388; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122388 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1905

Abstract

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surgical Castration of Piglets and Its Alternatives: National Strategies, Consequences for Animal Welfare, Production Systems and Product Quality)

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