Tail docking is performed routinely to prevent tail biting in pigs. It treats the symptom rather than the cause, and alternatives that address the root problem are available.
Tail docking causes acute pain at the time of procedure and chronic sensitivity in the healed stump. The procedure is performed without anaesthesia in most commercial operations, on piglets in the first days of life. The welfare harm of docking is compounded by the fact that it does not address the underlying causes of tail biting — it merely removes the target. Undocked pigs in barren environments still bite, targeting ears and flanks instead. Addressing root causes — providing manipulable enrichment materials (straw, wood, hessian), reducing stocking density, improving ventilation, ensuring adequate nutrition, and managing social instability — dramatically reduces tail biting without the welfare costs of routine docking. Several countries including Norway and Switzerland have successfully eliminated routine docking through enrichment requirements. The welfare argument is clear: treat the cause, not the symptom.