Pain management following management procedures in pigs including castration, teeth clipping and tail docking is required by welfare science but inconsistently implemented across the industry.
Management procedures in pigs cause genuine pain that is often minimised or ignored for practical and economic reasons. The welfare science is clear: castration, tail docking and teeth clipping all cause pain that persists beyond the procedure itself. Pain management using licensed analgesics is both effective and practical. Legislative requirements for pain relief are gradually improving standards in many countries.