Routine tail docking of piglets is practiced to prevent tail biting, but enrichment and management alternatives can reduce biting without this painful procedure.
Tail docking is an acute painful procedure that prevents one welfare problem by causing another. The pain of docking, while brief, is inflicted without anesthesia on millions of piglets annually. Docked tails remain sensitive and can be bitten as well, so docking does not eliminate the problem. The underlying cause — barren environments that frustrate pigs and lead to redirected biting behavior — goes unaddressed. Countries with enrichment requirements show that docking can be eliminated when root causes are managed.