Castration of piglets without pain relief is still common in some countries, but evidence strongly supports comprehensive analgesia protocols for this painful procedure.
Castration without anaesthesia or analgesia inflicts unnecessary and preventable pain. The procedure is typically performed in the first days of life when piglets have full pain sensitivity. Providing at minimum local anaesthesia plus NSAID reduces acute and post-operative pain significantly. Immunocastration removes the need for any surgery and is the welfare-optimal approach where market acceptance permits.