Surgical castration of male piglets remains widespread in Europe, but immunocastration and entire male rearing are increasingly viable welfare-friendly alternatives.
Surgical castration causes acute and post-operative pain, and when performed without anaesthesia or analgesia represents a significant welfare compromise. The European Declaration on alternatives to castration has driven progress, but uptake remains uneven. Immunocastration avoids surgery entirely and eliminates taint reliably, while consumer education around boar taint can help support entire male marketing chains.