Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Castration Without Anaesthesia

Physical castration of piglets without anaesthesia is painful and continues in many countries despite evidence-based alternatives.

Key Facts

Piglet castration is performed to reduce boar taint in meat from entire males
Without anaesthesia, castration causes acute pain indicated by vocalisations and physiological stress
EU law requires anaesthesia for castration in piglets over 7 days old
Immunocastration (Improvac) eliminates the need for physical castration
Some markets accept entire male pig meat at low doses of taint compounds

Welfare Considerations

Castration of piglets without anaesthesia causes entirely preventable acute pain. The alternatives - immunocastration or entire male production - both avoid this welfare harm. Continued use of non-anaesthetised castration where alternatives exist is difficult to justify on welfare or necessity grounds.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns requiring anaesthesia for all piglet castration
Choose pork from producers using immunocastration or entire males
Advocate for enforcement of existing EU castration anaesthesia requirements