Which is the most preventive measure against tail damage in finisher pigs: tail docking, straw provision or lowered stocking density?

Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience
M L V LarsenL J Pedersen

Abstract

One challenge of intensive pig production is tail damage caused by tail biting, and farmers often decrease the prevalence of tail damage through tail docking. However, tail docking is not an optimal preventive measure against tail damage and thus, it would be preferable to replace it. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relative effect of three possible preventive measures against tail damage. The study included 112 pens with 1624 finisher pigs divided between four batches. Pens were randomly assigned to one level of each of three treatments: (1) tail-docked (n=60 pens) v. undocked (n=52 pens), (2) 150 g of straw provided per pig per day on the solid floor (n=56 pens) v. no straw provided (n=56 pens), (3) stocking density of 1.21 m2/pig (11 pig/pen; n=56 pens) v. 0.73 m2/pig (18 pigs/pen; n=56 pens). Tail damage was recorded three times per week throughout the finisher period by scoring the tail of each individual pig. A pen was recorded as a tail damage pen and no longer included in the study if at least one pig in a pen had a bleeding tail wound; thus, only the first incidence of tail damage on pen level was recorded. Data were analysed by a Cox regression for survival analysis assuming proportional hazards. R...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 17, 2018·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·M L V LarsenL J Pedersen
Jan 8, 2019·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·M L V LarsenA Valros
Nov 27, 2018·Porcine Health Management·Nancy De BriyneDéborah Temple
Nov 19, 2019·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·P BrandtB Forkman
May 19, 2020·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·F HakanssonB Forkman
Dec 24, 2019·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·M B JensenL J Pedersen
May 7, 2019·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Mona Lilian Vestbjerg LarsenLene Juul Pedersen
Oct 23, 2019·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Stephanie Buijs, Ramon Muns
Jun 20, 2019·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Helle Pelant LahrmannBjörn Forkman
Jul 25, 2019·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Mona Lilian Vestbjerg LarsenDan Børge Jensen
Sep 1, 2019·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Anna Valros, Claire Barber
Jun 1, 2021·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·Karen KauselmannE Tobias Krause

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