Routine tail docking of piglets is widely practiced to prevent tail biting but is itself a painful procedure that addresses symptoms rather than the root causes of biting behaviour.
Tail docking creates a clear welfare dilemma: it causes acute pain and potential chronic discomfort, but is often justified as preventing the greater welfare harm of tail biting in intensive systems. The most effective welfare solution is not to choose between these harms but to address the root causes of biting through enrichment, reduced stocking density, improved ventilation, and better nutrition. Evidence from countries that have phased out routine tail docking demonstrates that it is possible to manage without docking when housing and management are sufficiently improved. Routine docking as a substitute for adequate husbandry represents a systemic welfare failure that regulatory enforcement and farm management must address together.