Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Welfare Measurement: Tail Biting Scoring

Systematic tail biting scoring provides objective welfare data that guides intervention and benchmarking.

Key Facts

Tail biting scoring uses standardised scales from intact tail to severe necrosis
On-farm scoring combined with slaughter monitoring provides complete production cycle data
Electronic records of tail biting prevalence enable trend monitoring and benchmarking
Scoring training for stockpersons improves consistency and welfare data quality

Welfare Considerations

Tail biting scoring provides objective welfare data that is more reliable than stockperson impression. Systematic scoring reveals the full extent of tail biting problems that may be underappreciated without structured assessment. Benchmarking tail biting scores between farms identifies outliers and best practices worth sharing.

What You Can Do

Support pig welfare schemes requiring systematic tail biting scoring records
Advocate for tail biting monitoring as a mandatory welfare indicator in farm certification
Choose pork from farms with low tail biting scores based on published welfare data