Tail docking of piglets is widely practiced to prevent tail biting, but it is banned in the UK as a routine procedure. Addressing the root cause - poor enrichment and overcrowding - is the correct solution.
Tail docking removes 50-75% of the tail and causes acute and potentially chronic pain. It addresses the symptom (tail biting) not the cause (boredom, crowding, poor environment). Routine docking without anaesthetic constitutes mutilation. Countries such as Finland and Sweden have near-zero rates of tail docking by providing adequate enrichment and space. The UK ban demonstrates that indoor production without tail docking is achievable.