Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • Innovation supplement 2024
    • Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. May 2025
    2. April 2025
    3. March 2025
    4. 2025 Buildings supplement
    5. February 2025
    6. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    7. January 2025
    8. December 2024
    9. November 2024
    10. National Pig Awards supplement
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. August 2024
    14. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    15. July 2024
    16. June 2024
    17. Innovation supplement 2024
    18. Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    19. May 2024
    20. April 2024
    21. Buildings Supplement
    22. March 2024
    23. Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. September 2023
    31. Health Supplement
    Featured

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
    Recent

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025

    April 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    April 4, 2025

    March 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    March 6, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Marketing

Welfare and meat quality issues bring non-surgical castration back to the table

PW ReportersBy PW ReportersOctober 3, 20145 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Retailer reticence remains, but producers and vets are beginning to question why – when benefits to pig welfare and meat quality are significant and Freedom Food endorses it – they’re still denied the option of using immuno-castration when finishing boars. The debate continued at a recent meeting in East Anglia, as Jane Jordan reports

For an industry trading on a reputation for high-welfare pigmeat, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to understand why non-surgical neutering is not considered valid and/or acceptable.

The general manager of research and innovation at Australian Pork Ltd (APL), Dr Darryl D’Souza, believes the UK should challenge retail perceptions and encourage the supply chain to embrace the scientific and commercial evidence from the many other pig-producing nations that are successfully using immunological castration. Retailers need to understand that it’s safe and simple, and has economic values for the whole pork chain.

More than 60 countries now use immuno-castration with finishing boars. It’s estimated that 1.2 million pigs each week are vaccinated globally with Improvac, an androstenone and skatole (male sex-hormones) suppressing vaccine marketed by Zoetis. About 50% of Brazil’s boars alone are treated with the vaccine. It’s a viable alternative to rearing entire males and can improve pork quality, production efficiency and enhance the welfare of finishing pigs in all production systems.

At a recent meeting organised by Zoetis, East Anglian pig farmers, processors and vets were offered a frank insight into the pitfalls of producing pork from entire boars.

Dr D’Souza explained that although Europe acknowledged immuno-castration as a remedy for boar taint, elsewhere in the world using Improvac was primarily used to gain greater production efficiency, better welfare and as a means of reducing costs and processing penalties.

The taint issue was important, but the benefits immuno-castration brought to pig welfare, carcase value and meat quality were probably more economically significant.

“Improvac is a welfare winner as vaccinated boars are easier to manage, are calmer and not sexually driven so there is far less stress in the system,” he said. “Carcase lesions are noticeably fewer and often insignificant in carcases from immuno-castrates.”

These values, combined with observed improvements to FCR and performance seen on units continually monitored by APL, demonstrate that vaccinating entire boars to suppress sex hormones in the weeks leading up to slaughter has positive and value-added benefits.

In Australia, where Improvac has been used for more than a decade, the advantages to meat quality, taste and consistency of pigmeat were well documented. The market there is similar to the UK, with significant import pressure and a discerning consumer base. APL research confirms that the increased proportion of “immunologically neutered pigs” now being finished by Australian producers is positively influencing the market. There is less incidence of PSE and DFD meat seen in carcases from immuno-castrates, and the percentage of intramuscular fat – a major factor influencing taste and succulence – is considerably higher. These characteristics have been credited with helping Australia’s pig sector increase retail demand for its product and raising consumption.

“Retailers and the supply chain recognise the issues associated with meat from entire male boars; more of them are understanding the relevance of immuno-castration and the value it offers the pork chain,” Dr D’Souza said.

Australians consume about 25kg pigmeat per head, and further growth is expected. Meat quality is driving consumption with increasing interest in domestically produced, premium pork because it’s fresh, healthy and tastes good. This sector is predominantly supplied by meat from gilts and immuno-castrated males.

“APL’s Better Pork strategy is helping build our domestic market and export trade,” Dr D’Souza added. “Quality and flavour are driving this, and we need assurance that the supply chain can consistently produce a high-quality, great-tasting product.”

APL has worked with the supply chain and invested more than £2.7 million in developing specific eating quality pathways. Its research has established that all entire male progeny, no matter their age or liveweight, carries a 25% risk of boar taint. APL made a solid commitment to eradicate this risk where possible, and castration by vaccination is a fundamental part of this.

The industry targets a 10% “taint rate”, with the primary objective to ensure very few consumers will experience “bad pork” as a consequence of eating boar meat.

Producers at the Zoetis meeting supported Dr D’Souza’s views and said they would like the option to use Improvac, particularly with mixed sex groups where aggression levels during the latter stages of the finishing period can be difficult to manage. They said boar taint wasn’t a key issue, although minimising or eliminating it would cut out another potential downgrade.

The retail sector must review immuno-castration as the potential welfare, performance and meat-quality benefits it offers the supply chain can’t be ignored. The opportunity to improve the consistency and quality of the premium British-produced pigmeat they say they want must be explored and farmers should be allowed this choice.

Openness and a clear factual explanation of how and why neutering by vaccination is used would allay consumer concerns and diffuse a tabloid media storm. The licensed vaccine is safe, effective and has an outstanding global track record, and many of the UK’s key competitors have been using it for some time. It’s highly likely that meat from entire, Improvac-treated boars is already entering the UK and frequently stacked on retail shelves.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleAntibiotic usage must be strictly controlled says new European food safety commissioner
Next Article BOCM PAULS rebrands as ForFarmers
PW Reporters

Read Similar Stories

NFUS identifies ‘£500m opportunity’ after surveys shows disappointing level of Scottish sourcing

April 22, 2025

Scotland’s top selling burger brand launches new summer BBQ range

April 22, 2025

Retailers continue to show solid support for British pork products, Porkwatch survey shows

April 21, 2025
Latest News

Red Tractor appoints farmer as chair for the first time

May 23, 2025

US-China trade tensions creating opportunities for Brazil and Europe – RaboResearch

May 23, 2025

AHDB CEO to join Sofina Foods later this year

May 22, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1742 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1471 West Sussex

    • West Sussex
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1740 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.