Livestock

Farmed Pig Boar Taint and Welfare Alternatives to Castration

Alternatives to surgical castration of piglets reduce pain while managing boar taint.

Key Facts

Surgical castration of piglets is practiced in many countries to prevent boar taint
Immunocastration (Improvac) provides an alternative to surgical castration
Entire male pigs have faster growth and better feed conversion than castrates
EU campaigns have sought voluntary elimination of surgical castration

Welfare Considerations

Surgical castration of piglets causes acute pain and distress. Without analgesia, it is one of the most painful routine procedures in pig production. Immunocastration achieves similar boar taint control with a single injection, causing far less pain. Entire male pig production avoids both interventions but requires management to separate males before sexual maturity. Transitioning away from surgical castration without analgesia is a high-priority welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Support elimination of non-anaesthetised piglet castration
Choose pork from producers committed to pain-free alternatives to surgical castration
Advocate for mandatory anaesthesia requirements for pig castration
Back research into low-boar-taint pig genetics as a long-term solution