Tail biting is a multifactorial welfare problem requiring systematic root cause investigation rather than reactive treatment — farm-level audit tools enable targeted welfare improvement.
Tail biting welfare management has shifted from prophylactic docking to evidence-based root cause investigation and targeted intervention. Farm audit tools allow welfare assessors to identify which combination of risk factors is driving outbreaks on a specific farm — whether ventilation, density, feed space, or enrichment — and to intervene precisely. This approach is more effective than docking because it addresses causes rather than symptoms, and reduces the welfare burden of the bite victim, the aggressor, and all undocked pigs whose tails require monitoring.