Animal Welfare Issues in UNIT6 WELFARE ISSUES IN PIGS

Structure 6.1 Learning Outcomes 6.2 Introduction 6.3 Identification Procedures – Welfare Issues 6.3.1 Ear Clipping / Ear Notching 6.3.2 Ear Tagging / Microchipping 6.3.3 Tattooing 6.4 Management Procedures – Welfare Issues 6.4.1 Orphan Piglets 6.4.2 Nose Ringing 6.4.3 Tail Docking 6.4.4 Ear Biting/Flank Biting/Navel Suckling/Snout Biting 6.4.5 Teeth Reduction / Teeth Trimming 6.4.6 Tusk Trimming 6.5 Reproduction Control Procedures - Welfare Issues 6.5.1 Castration/ Vasectomy 6.5.2 Farrowing Crates 6.6 Let Us Sum Up 6.7 Keywords 6.8 Bibliography and Further Reading 6.9 Self Assessment Exercises 6.10 Answers / Hints to Check Your Progress 6.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES a) Knowledge and Understanding: After studying this Unit, you will be able to: Identify specific issues in farming. Explain the reasons for practicing painful pig management practices/ procedures. b) Practical and Professional Skills: After studying this Unit, you will be able to: Discuss the specific animal welfare issues in pig farming. Demonstrate the welfare concern behind each practice and suggest alternatives to improve welfare of pigs. 6.2 INTRODUCTION

Dear Learner, In the previous unit, you were introduced to the concept of pig rearing, different breeds and production systems of pigs, physical, mental and naturalness aspects of welfare and general constraints in pig farming with welfare implications. There 102 are welfare issues / practices in housing, feeding, breeding and healthcare of Welfare Issues in Pigs pigs, which are painful and cause stress. This unit introduces you to some specific welfare issues pertaining to pigs / piglets under the following headings: Identification procedures – welfare issues (ear clipping / ear notching,ear tagging / microchipping and tattooing) Management procedures – welfare issues (orphan piglets, nose ringing, tail docking, ear biting/flank biting/navel suckling/snout biting, teeth reduction/ teeth trimming and tusk trimming) Reproduction control procedures - welfare issues (castration/ vasectomy and farrowing crates) 6.3 IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES – WELFARE ISSUES Animal identification is required for recording of various management parameters, treatment and slaughter. Pigs need to be individually identified throughout life for management and traceability of products for safety or assurance schemes. The common identification procedures are (Fig 6.1): Ear clipping / Ear notching Ear tagging /Micro-chipping Tattooing 6.3.1 Ear Clipping / Ear Notching Ear clipping / notching is done using V or U shaped cutting forceps for the purpose of identification. Newborn baby pigs are prime candidates for ear notching, as they will need it for identification purposes from a very young age. Ear notching is done on both ears, with the location and number of notches signifying different things. The right ear is used for the litter number. All pigs in the same litter should have the same ear notch in the right ear. The left ear is used to show individual identification for each pig in the litter (Fig. 6.1). Because of constraints of time and labour to apply the ear notches and read them, this procedure is not commonly used in commercial settings. Ear notching is mostly used by small purebred breeders.

Ear notching Ear tagging Ear tag applicator

Tattoo applicator Microchipping Tattooing

Fig. 6.1: Identification procedures in pigs 103 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs 6.3.2 Ear Tagging / Microchipping

The most common method of identifying pigs is through tagging with plastic ear or neck tags. Ear tags are applied to ears using tag applicator. They carry a visual number.

A technology enabled identification is through RFID (radio frequency identification) using a transponder to relay the animal’s information and location. Microchip is a transponder chip inserted behind ears using a needle and special syringe. Electronic implants are transistors enclosed in very small non reactive implants that are placed beneath the skin at the base of the ear. They will store a wide variety of information that can be read using a microchip reader and connected mobile. However, these methods are not completely perfect as there is a scope for the ear tags to fall off and transponders may malfunction. 6.3.3 Tattooing

Pigs may be tattooed with an identifying number. Tattooing is most reliable method of identification either as primary method or as a backup. It is popular among pig farmers. The advantages of tattooing are: Permanent form of identification Reliable Fast Simple Portable Suitable for every stage - piglet to farm to to market Cost-effective In this method letters and/or numbers are tattooed using a series of spiked steel dyes on the inside of the ear or on the skin of the neck area behind the ear. If the pig is destined for slaughter, it is usually applied on the shoulder or back depicting readable characters. Depending on the age, size, and gender of the pig, the dyes can range in various sizes from 8 – 16 mm.

Welfare Issues in Identification Methods: The animal welfare benefits of identification methods include: Traceability / rapid identification of pigs with risk of disease allowing rapid treatment or euthanasia thereby reducing suffering associated with the disease. Better monitoring of pigs with special needs. Allow rapid identification of poor welfare or cruelty cases as part of welfare auditing. However, all the identification methods cause fear, distress and pain. Ear notching is performed without anaesthesia or pain relief. After ear notching piglets can attempt to escape, squeal and head shake, all behaviours indicating piglets find the procedure stressful and painful. Tagging must take place quickly with minimal stress to pigs. Ensure good restraining system. Check tags are clean and in working order. If necessary ensure that antiseptic/disinfectant solution is available to clean 104 pliers and/or ears. Unlike other forms of identification, ear notching is not legally Welfare Issues in Pigs required and is instead a voluntary on-farm management choice. Whereas other forms of identification which are also painful procedures such as ear tagging or tattooing may be required in view of the benefits to animals for traceability. Non-invasive methods such as biometric identifiers are welfare friendly.

Before we proceed, please complete activity 1.

Activity 1: Visit a nearby pig farm and discuss with the farm manager about the need for identification, methods commonly used and welfare measures being followed. Compare their responses to the discussion given in the section and write your observations: ......

Check Your Progress 1 Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers. b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit. 1) Name the common identification methods used in pig farming...... 2) What is RFID identification? ...... 105 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs 3) What are the advantages of tattooing? ...... 4) What are the welfare implications of different identification methods? ......

6.4 MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES – WELFARE ISSUES

6.4.1 Orphan Piglets

Piglets become orphan when the sow (mother) dies, mother has scavenging behaviour, mother suffer from Agalactia (no milk in udder), Mastitis (infection of udder) etc. If the sow does not produce enough milk, the piglets should be given to another sow which farrowed or gave birth up to three days before. This sow should have fewer piglets than the number of teats on her udder. This is because the teats which are not being used by piglets dry off after three days. Piglets normally take control of one teat at birth and continue to feed from it until they are weaned.

Orphan piglets are to be transferred to the sow with fewer piglets after masking them with a spray which has a strong smell (e.g. kerosene diluted with water) to last at least 1or 2 days. All piglets should be sprayed as soon as introduction is done so that the foster mother doesn’t recognize its own as foreigners. If there is no sow to take over feeding the piglets, they will have to be given extra food by hand. Goat or cow’s milk can be given to the piglets in the same way as for motherless or orphaned babies (Fig 6.2).

Fig. 6.2: Baby piglet feeding milk from bottle (Source: Baloncici) https://depositphotos.com/7733749/stock-photo-bottle-feed-pig.html) 106 6.4.2 Nose Ringing Welfare Issues in Pigs

A nose ring is a ring made of metal designed to be installed through the nasal septum of pigs or alternatively pierced through the rim of the nose (Fig. 6.3). To control the ‘rooting’ behaviour, nose rings are put on free range pigs. Pig uses its strong snout to dig around in the dirt as it looks for food or other underground substances. Pigs root quickly and can destroy large areas of land in no time. They can also end up removing protective barriers by rooting near the edges of their enclosures and uprooting fence posts. If a pig tries to root while wearing a nose ring, the ring will push against her skin and cause discomfort — thus stop pig from rooting. While rooting with a nose ring is painful in tough ground, the nose ring does allow the pig to root freely in loosely-packed piles of vegetation (June Enright, 2017).

Fig. 6.3: Nose ring and nose ring plier

Welfare Issues in Nose Ringing: Inserting a metal ring into the delicate snout of a pig creates pain, discomfort and stress in pigs. It also prevents exhibition of its natural behaviour i.e rooting in free range pigs. Rooting is a natural and instinctive behaviour that is considered to be one of a pig’s most basic needs. Two persons are required to apply nose ring – one to restrain the pig and other to apply ring using a nose ring plier. This procedure causes fear and distress in pigs.

Pigs must not be nose ringed to prevent them from rooting and foraging as the nose ring unreasonably restricts their normal behavioural patterns. Instead, pigs should be provided with alternative substrate to allow foraging behaviour while at the same time preventing adverse effects on the environment. 6.4.3 Tail Docking

Tail docking is cutting of approximately two-thirds of the piglet’s tail to prevent tail biting, a behavioural disorder triggered by intensive farming (Figs. 6.4 a&b). Tail biting is very common in pigs due to the lack of provision for rooting behaviour. Factors, which precipitate tail biting are: Physical environment Stocking density Extremes of climatic variables Nutritional factors like deficiency of minerals Diseases

107 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs

Fig. 6.4: (a) Tail biting in weaned pigs (b) Tail docking using hot iron cauterizer

Welfare Issues in Tail Docking: In group housed weaned piglets after weaning they search for teats. Tails appears like teats hence play with tails and gradually bite and cause injury. It can lead to infections and death of piglets, sometimes abscess, spinal injury and poor growth and carcass quality is reduced. To prevent this disorder tail docking is practiced with in the first few days of birth. A hot electrical docking iron is used to cut or burn off a piece of the tail or cut up to the base within 4-7 days using scissors (Figs. 6.4a & b). To minimise pain and stress, an anaesthetic spray is good method to numb the tail and then cut if necessary and prevent bleeding using tourniquet.

Tail biting can usually be reduced or eliminated by keeping pigs in environment like straw-bedding where rooting can occur. It can also be prevented when sufficient observation and good feeding is provided. A piece of chain can be hung down from the ceiling for the piglets to chew. We can provide straw for making piglets active, weaker ones must be separated and housed as they are prone for tail biting. 6.4.4 Ear Biting/Flank Biting/Navel Suckling/Snout Biting

Ear Biting: Ears are bitten either at the base where the ear joins the cheek or at the ear tip. The behaviour is usually noticed in . This is aggravated due to ear notching.

Flank Biting: Flank biting is seen in pigs kept in groups of 20 or more and from 2-5 months of age. The sites mostly involved are lower rib cage and flank.

Navel Sucking: Navel sucking can be a problem in early weaned pigs between 4-6 weeks of age.

Snout Biting: Snout biting is a behaviour in weaned pigs. The mutilation occurs mostly when the pigs are kept in total darkness. Provision of light in the sty (pig shed ) will avert this condition.

Welfare Issues in Ear Biting/Flank Biting/Navel Suckling/Snout Biting: These behaviours are result of early weaning of piglets in intensive pig farming systems. Like in tail biting, the piglets after weaning search for teats. Notched ears, flanks, navel or snouts resembles teats and hence piglets play with them, gradually bite and cause injury / infections. This is more about inability to show rooting behaviour than suckling. Belly nosing by pigs might be more related to frustrated sucking as it resembles udder massage frequently done by pigs.

Example: Persistent suckling of the navel may produce a fold of skin resembling a teat. The skin may become swollen, congested and painful. 108 To prevent these behaviours, rings are inserted in the dorsal area of the snout, Welfare Issues in Pigs which is also painful. To improve welfare the above responses can be controlled by separating the suckling piglet and the injured piglet, and providing environmental enrichment, particularly opportunities to show exploration and rooting. Further, early weaned pigs should be provided with attractive food with ample trough space. 6.4.5 Teeth Reduction/Teeth Trimming

Teeth reduction or trimming is removing sharp tips of teeth in piglets. Soon after they are born, the teeth of piglets are clipped or ground. The purpose of teeth resection is to reduce injuries caused to each other and to their mother as piglets fight to access the udder and teats, particularly if the sow has low milk yield or a large litter. A bone cutter or teeth trimmer is used to cut tips of eight needle teeth in total, with 2 on each side of the jaw (Figs. 6.5a, b & c), or the sharp tips can be ground down.

Welfare Issues in Teeth Trimming: Piglets are born with needle sharp canine teeth at the corners of the upper and lower jaws. These traumatise both the sow’s teats and the faces of other piglets. So trimming of teeth is usually practiced to prevent biting the udder of mother during suckling. Damage to the skin can lead to greasy pig disease. The sows with injured teats will also not allow suckling from teats.

Only the tip of the teeth should be removed to prevent damage to teeth or mouth. When trimming the teeth the tongue of the piglets should be rolled back to avoid injuring it. Tooth grinding is often considered to be better for welfare as the possibilities of causing damage to the lips or tongue are much reduced. To overcome or minimise the pain or stress, adequate feeding and watching of piglets is required.

Fig. 6.5: (a) Teeth trimmer (b) Restraining for teeth trimming (c) Teeth trimming

Box 6.1 Can Injuries be Reduced Without Teeth-Clipping? (Source: Compassion in World Farming) Some breeds have higher levels of fat, and this can help them to maintain adequate levels of milk. Keeping the sow in high-welfare farrowing systems may also help. Research has found that sows in free-farrowing systems ate more food than those kept in crates, and it was suggested that they were likely to produce more milk. Piglets in the free-farrowing systems grew better and were heavier at weaning than those in crates. This may explain why there are fewer injuries to the sow’s teats and to piglets in systems with plenty of space and enrichments such as straw (Fig. 6.6). Breeding sows to produce smaller litters can reduce injuries caused by fighting for teats. This can also reduce the number of piglets who will starve, provided the sow is properly fed. Teeth-clipping is prohibited by Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step 109 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs welfare standards. European Union rules mandate that modifications to environment and stocking density should be attempted before resorting to teeth clipping.

Fig. 6.6: Sow suckling piglets in crate free system

6.4.6 Tusk Trimming

Tusks are the canine teeth of boars.Tusks are grown in adult boars and as they grow both the upper and lower tusks become large, sharp and dangerous with increasing age (Fig 6.7). Hence tusks of six months old boars are trimmed / detusked to avoid injury to handlers or to other pigs. Fig. 6.7: Tusks in adult boar Welfare Issues in Tusk Trimming: The young boars tusks are removed using hoof cutters. In old boars, orthopedic wire is used to cut tusks. It is primarily done to prevent injury while boars fight with each other or with handlers.

Tusks are usually trimmed close to the gum without painkillers or anaesthesia. The pulp within tusks contains nerves. Boars experience pain and stress while undergoing the procedure. Open trimmed tusks may also lead to infection. Cutting the tusk about one inch beyond the gum line is recommended.

Before we proceed, please complete activity 2. Activity 2: Visit a nearby or an organized pig farm. Discuss about the tail docking of piglets. Compare the outcome with the information provided in the above section and write your observations on the following: a) Reasons for practicing tail docking ...... 110 Welfare Issues in Pigs b) Age and method of tail docking ...... c) Welfare measures ensured in tail docking (before, during and after) ......

Check Your Progress 2 Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers. b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit. 1) What do you understand by orphan piglets? ...... 2) What is nose ringing? ...... 111 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs 3) Does early weaning of piglets in industrialised pig farming lead to welfare related behavioural disorders in piglets? ...... 4) What is the purpose of teeth trimming? ...... 5) Why are the tusks of adult boars trimmed? ......

6.5 REPRODUCTION CONTROL PROCEDURES - WELFARE ISSUES

6.5.1 Castration/ Vasectomy

Castration is the removal of testicles which is done to make the boar docile and to prevent unwanted mating (Fig. 6.8). It also adds up weight of pigs and fetches higher profits. Boar taint is an odour due to testosterone in the boar meat and castration is done to avoid this odour.

Vasectomy is cutting and removing a piece of spermatic cord to make the boar sterile, but still capable of mating. Vasectomised pigs are used as teaser to detect sows in heat or oestrus.

Fig. 6.8: Castration in piglets 112 Welfare Issues in Castration / Vasectomy: Young male piglets below three Welfare Issues in Pigs weeks age are castrated mostly without any anaesthesia. The procedure is both painful and stressful. Box 6.2: How Boar Taint Can be Prevented by ‘Immunocastration’? Boar taint is an unpleasant odour and taste found in meat from some male pigs. Male sex hormones osterone and skatole, digestive by-products formed in the intestines are responsible for this taint. To eliminate boar taint, young male piglets are physically castrated with or without anaesthesia or pain relief, which is not preferred on animal welfare grounds. In some countries, pigs are slaughtered before puberty to prevent the boar taint. Immunocastration: Immunological castration is gaining support in place of physical castration. Two doses of vaccine with at least 4 weeks gap is administered 4 to 5 weeks before slaughter. The active ingredient in the vaccine is a protein that delays the onset of puberty by stimulating the pig’s natural immune system to produce antibodies that inhibit testes function. By delaying the onset of puberty, male pigs cannot produce and osterone and skatole, which in turn significantly reduces the risk of boar taint being present in the pork products. Immunocastration significantly decreases the sexual and aggressive behaviour normally associated with testosterone production such as fighting, pushing, head butting and mounting which may result in stress, injuries and skin lesions. Therefore, the animal welfare benefits of immunocastration not only include the elimination of painful physical castration methods but also significantly reduce aggression and other sexual behaviours relating to the onset of puberty. In some pigs, the effect of the vaccine will wear off within 8 weeks of the last vaccination and sexual behaviours will gradually return along with boar taint in the pork products. Good stockmanship, rest and routine, appropriate housing, feeding practice, sufficient feed and water are all associated with reduced sexual and aggressive behaviour. Boar taint is also lower in clean pens with good quality flooring and with smaller group sizes. The role of management factors should be recognised and pig farmers should aim to provide an optimal environment for all male pigs prior to considering castration as a method to control undesirable behaviours and prevent boar taint (Source: RSPCA https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-is-boar- taint-and-how-can-it-be-prevented/) 6.5.2 Farrowing Crates

A farrowing crate / piglet protection pen, is a metal-barred pen that is similar in size to a sow stall but slightly narrower (Fig.6.9). The sow is moved into the farrowing crate a week before farrowing (giving birth) and is kept there until the piglets are weaned at about 3–4 weeks of age. The crate has an area around it that the piglets can move into to avoid being crushed by the Fig.6.9: Farrowing crate sow (RSPCA Knowledge (Source: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/188613/ sow-farrowing-crates) 113 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs Base). Farrowing crates have become widely accepted in intensive farming as they made sow management easier, allow for a higher stocking density of sows/ unit of land and help to reduce piglet mortality (Fraser and Broom, 1997).

The other reasons for practicing farrowing crates are summarised in Box 6.3. Box 6.3: Reasons for Practicing Farrowing Crates Farrowing crates prevent / minimise the following: Cannibalism: Some aggressive pigs are known to eat their piglets during farrowing. Once they taste the blood they keep licking the piglets navels till they tear the piglets apart. However, there are research reports indicating cannibalism is higher in farrowing crates than in pens. Crushing: During or after farrowing while pig moves around the pen, she sleeps or step on her piglets leading to crushing. Births in Wallow: If a pregnant sow is allowed unrestricted movement she can deliver in the wallow. Lousy Sows: Some sows just sit in the wallow after delivery refusing to breast feed. This may occurs for biological reasons that perhaps we do not understand yet, but surely this is not very common or may be only in young and inexperienced pigs. Diarrhoea: Piglets looking for a source of water tend to drink urine or eat other dirty stuff in the pen. With the sow in a well designed farrowing crate, the urine and faeces flow is restricted and a separate feeder and drinker can then be provided for the piglets. Increased Piglet Weaning Weight: Providing a separate drinker and feeder for piglets helps to increase their weaning weight.

Welfare Issues in Farrowing Crates: One good example of a restriction to normal behaviour which harms animal welfare is the case of nest-building prior to farrowing in pigs. In the ancestral species, the wild boar and pregnant females are seen to perform nest building prior to farrowing. After detaching herself from her social group the sow gathers foliage from the surrounding environment and forms an enclosed nest within which she will give birth. For much of the domesticated history of the pig, sows were able to perform a rudimentary version of this nest building. However, in the latter half of the 20th century a new system for sow farrowing housing was developed: the farrowing crate, which is used to boost pig production by minimizing piglet mortality (e.g. from crushing by the sow).

Poorly designed farrowing crates can lead to even more piglet mortality, piglet foot sores, piglet and sow diarrhoea, sow lameness and sometimes sow death. Farrowing crates greatly limit sow movements; sows are able to stand up and lie down but are not able to turn around, and have only limited forward and backward movement. This represents a space restriction, but also – during the period prior to birth – the highly restricted ability to perform even basic nest-building behaviours. Sows in crate will still attempt to perform nest-building behaviours, even in the absence of any substrate. In terms of behavioural control, nest building occurs in response to physiological changes in the sow, occurring at predictable times prior to birth, yet under wild conditions nest-building is variable and responses to environmental conditions (e.g. less effort made if aspects of natural 114 terrain provide shelter) i.e. it is internally driven but shaped by the environment. Welfare Issues in Pigs Numerous studies have demonstrated that the restricted ability of sows to nest- build causes signs of behavioural distress and increased levels of various stress hormones. In addition, sows that have been prevented from nest building are more reactive to piglets after birth and show higher rates of piglet-directed aggression compared to sows farrowing in pens with straw.

The fuller understanding of the impact that this restriction has on sow welfare has led to increased interest in developing alternative systems, which do not restrict the sow’s behaviour but which achieve acceptable levels of piglet mortality. Such work has led some countries – e.g. Norway, Sweden and Switzerland – to ban farrowing crates entirely, and within other countries has led retailers or farm assurance schemes to adopt ‘free’ farrowing alternatives to the crate.

Before we proceed, please complete activity 3. Activity 3: Visit a nearby pig farm and discuss with the manager about the castration of pigs, method followed along with welfare measures following. Compare the outcome with the information provided in the above section and write your observations on the following: a) Reasons for practicing castration: ...... b) Age and method of castration: ...... c) Welfare measures ensured in castration (before, during and after): ...... 115 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs Check Your Progress 3 Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers. b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit. 1) What is the difference between castration and vasectomy? ...... 2) What do you understand by boar taint and how it is linked to welfare? ...... 3) What do you understand by immunocastration? ...... 4) What are the animal welfare benefits of immunocastration? ...... 5) What are the reasons for using farrowing crates? ......

116 Welfare Issues in Pigs 6.6 LET US SUM UP

In this unit you were introduced to some specific animal welfare issues of pigs and piglets.

The specific welfare issues discussed, especially in intensive pig production systems are ear clipping / ear notching, ear tagging / microchipping and tattooing, orphan piglets, nose ringing, tail docking, ear biting / flank biting / navel suckling / snout biting, teeth reduction / teeth trimming, tusk trimming, castration/ vasectomy and farrowing crates.

6.7 KEYWORDS

Agalactia: It is a condition in which milk is not produced in the udder after farrowing. Cannibalism: It is eating of piglets by aggressive mothers during farrowing. Castration: Castration is the removal of testicles which is done to make the boar docile and to prevent unwanted mating. Crushing: During or after farrowing while the sow moves around the pen, she sleeps or steps on her piglets leading to crushing. Ear Biting: Ear biting is a vice in which ears are bitten either at the base or at the ear tip. Ear Notching: Clipping of the ear using V shaped cutting forceps for the purpose of identification. Ear Tagging: A common method of identification by applying plastic tags to ears with a visual number. Farrowing Crate: A farrowing crate / piglet protection pen is a metal-barred pen that is similar in size to a sow stall but slightly narrower. Flank Biting: Flank biting is seen in pigs kept in groups of 20 or more and from 2-5 months of age. The sites mostly involved are lower rib cage and flank. Lousy Sows: Some sows just sit in the wallow after farrowing refusing to breast feed the piglets. Microchipping: A technology enabled identification is through RFID (radio frequency identification) using a transponder to relay the animal’s information and location. Navel Sucking: Navel sucking can be a problem in early weaned pigs between 4-6 weeks of age. Nose Ringing: A nose ring is a ring made of metal designed to be inserted through the nasal septum of pigs or alternatively pierced through the rim of the nose. Orphan Piglets: Piglets become orphan when mother dies, mother has scavenging behaviour, mother suffer from Agalactia (no milk in udder), Mastitis (infection of udder) etc.

117 Animal Welfare Issues in Pigs Tail docking: Tail docking is cutting of piglet’s tail to prevent tail biting vice. Teeth Reduction / Teeth Trimming: Teeth reduction or trimming is removing sharp tips of teeth in piglets. Tattooing: Tattooing is most reliable method of identification either as primary method or as a backup. Tusk Trimming: Trimmed / de-tusking of boars to avoid injury to handlers or to other pigs. Vasectomy: It is cutting and removing a piece of spermatic cord to make the boar sterile, but still capable of mating. Vasectomised pigs are used as teasers to detect sows in heat or oestrus. Wallow: It is a shallow depression with muddy water in which pig often dig and root. Weaning: Separation of piglets from mother between 3-4 weeks of age.

6.8 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING Fraser, A.F. and Broom, D.M. (1997). Pig Welfare Problems. In: Farm Animal Behaviour and Welfare. CAB INT, Norton, U.K.pp 358–369. June Enright (2017). Facts of Nose Rings in Pigs. https://animals.mom.me/facts- of-nose-rings-in-pigs Patel, B.H.M.,Prasanna,S.B. and Mahadevappa, D.G. (2015). Animal Welfare and Management, New India Publishing Agency, New Delhi. Sastry, N.S.R., Thomas,C.K. and Singh, R.A. (2015). Production Management. 5th edition, Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana, India

6.9 SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISES 1) Discuss the welfare issues in pigs related to identification procedures. 2) What are the welfare issues related to management procedures in intensive pig farming? Explain any three of them with welfare implications. 3) Why farrowing crates are very popular? Illustrate the welfare issues associated with use of farrowing crates in intensive pig production systems. 6.10 ANSWERS / HINTS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS Check Your Progress 1 1) The common identification methods in pig farming are ear clipping / ear notching, ear tagging /micro-chipping and tattooing. 2) A technology enabled identification is through RFID (radio frequency identification) using a transponder to relay the animal’s information and location. 3) The advantages of tattooing are permanent form of identification, reliable, fast, simple, portable, suitable for every stage of - piglet to farm to slaughterhouse to market and cost-effective. 118 4) All the identification methods cause fear, distress and pain. Non-invasive Welfare Issues in Pigs methods such as biometric identifiers are welfare friendly. Tagging must take place quickly with minimal stress to pigs. Ensure good restraining system. Check tags are clean and in working order. If necessary ensure that antiseptic/disinfectant solution is available to clean pliers and/or ears. Check Your Progress 2 1) Piglets become orphan when mother dies, mother has scavenging behaviour, mother suffer from Agalactia (no milk in udder), Mastitis (infection of udder) etc. 2) A nose ring is a ring made of metal designed to be installed through the nasal septum of pigs or alternatively pierced through the rim of the nose. 3) Early weaning of piglets in industrialised pig farming systems leads to welfare linked vices like tail biting / ear biting / flank biting / navel suckling/ snout biting. Piglets after weaning search for teats. Tails, notched ears, flanks, navel or snouts resembles teats and hence piglets play with them, gradually bite, and cause injury / infections. 4) The purpose of teeth trimming is to reduce injuries caused to each other and to their mother as piglets nurse. 5) Tusks are the canine teeth grown in adult boars. As they grow, both the upper and lower tusks become large, sharp and dangerous with increasing age. Hence tusks of six months old boars are trimmed / detusked to avoid injury to handlers or to other pigs. Check Your Progress 3 1) Castration is the removal of testicles which is done to make the boar docile and to prevent unwanted mating. Vasectomy is cutting and removing a piece of spermatic cord to make the boar sterile, but still capable of mating. Vasectomised pigs are used as teaser to detect sows in heat or oestrus. 2) Boar taint is an unpleasant odour and taste found in meat from some male pigs. Male sex hormone and a digestive by-product formed in the intestines are responsible for this taint. To eliminate boar taint, young male piglets are physically castrated with or without anaesthetic or pain relief, which is not preferred on animal welfare grounds. 3) Immunological castration is gaining support in place of physical castration. Two doses of vaccine with at least 4 weeks gap is administered 4 to 5 weeks before slaughter. The active ingredient in the vaccine is a protein that delays the onset of puberty by stimulating the pig’s natural immune system to produce antibodies that inhibit testes function. By delaying the onset of puberty, male pigs cannot produce andosterone and skatole, which in turn significantly reduces the risk of boar taint being present in the pork product. 4) Animal welfare benefits of immunocastration not only include the elimination of painful physical castration methods but also significantly less aggression and other sexual behaviours relating to the onset of puberty. 5) Farrowing crates are practiced to prevent / minimise cannibalism, crushing of new born piglets, births in wallow, lousy sows, diarrhoea and increased piglet weaning weight. 119