Tail docking in pigs is EU-banned as a routine procedure yet widely practiced. Transitioning away from docking requires addressing root causes of tail biting.
Tail docking causes acute pain and may result in chronic neuromas. Its widespread use despite legal prohibition reflects how difficult tail biting prevention is in intensive systems. The solution is not to accept docking as inevitable but to address the root causes - inadequate enrichment, high stocking density, and nutritional deficits - that make tail biting likely. Whole-tail pig production is achievable and represents the welfare goal.