Pig Castration Welfare: Immunocastration and Pain Management

Surgical castration of male piglets is practised to prevent boar taint, but causes acute pain and raises significant welfare concerns addressed by immunocastration alternatives.

Key Facts

Around 100 million male pigs are surgically castrated annually in the EU
EU Declaration of Strasbourg aimed to end surgical castration without anaesthesia by 2018
Immunocastration (Improvac) is effective and available in most EU countries
Germany and Switzerland have mandated pain relief for piglet castration

Welfare Considerations

Surgical castration without anaesthesia causes acute pain responses including struggling, vocalisation and elevated cortisol that persist for hours. Post-operative wound pain and infection risk add to the welfare burden. Immunocastration (vaccine-based suppression of testosterone) eliminates surgical pain entirely while maintaining growth performance. Consumer and retailer resistance to immunocastration in some markets perpetuates surgical castration despite the welfare cost.

What You Can Do

Choose pork products from producers using immunocastration or entire male systems
Support Compassion in World Farming campaigns on castration-free pork
Advocate for mandatory pain relief requirements in pig castration legislation
Ask retailers to disclose whether their pork supply uses castration with pain relief