Farm Animals

Pig Welfare and Pain Management at Castration

Piglet castration causes acute pain and is performed without analgesia in many countries, representing a significant, addressable welfare problem.

Key Facts

Male piglets are castrated to prevent boar taint in meat in many markets
Castration causes detectable acute pain lasting hours in piglets
EU regulations require analgesia for castration from 2022 but compliance varies
Immunocastration (Improvac) eliminates surgical castration while preventing taint
Intact male production is commercially viable and eliminates castration entirely

Welfare Considerations

Castration without pain relief is an unjustifiable cause of suffering given available alternatives. Immunocastration and intact male production eliminate the welfare problem entirely.

What You Can Do

Choose pork from intact male or immunocastrated pigs where available
Advocate for mandatory analgesia in all piglet castration
Support market development for intact male pork products