Immunocastration as an alternative to conventional castration to control boar taint in entire male pigs | Imunska kastracija kot alternativa konvencionalni kastraciji za preprecevanje vonja po merjascu
2010
Bonneau, M., Saint Gilles. (France). INRA and Agrocampus Ouest.
Surgical castration of male piglets is less and less accepted because it is a welfare concern, it increases production costs and results in fatter carcasses. Entire male production is impaired by the presence of boar taint. Immunocastration is one of the possible alternatives. It effectively blocks testicular steroid secretion, hence boar taint compounds deposition. A vaccine (Improvac(R)) has been approved for commercial use in the EU and in many other countries. Compared to surgical castration without anaesthesia, the additional costs of immunocastration are vey low, if any, because the cost of the vaccine is counterbalanced by improved feed efficiency, higher growth rate and leaner carcass. Meat quality is similar in immunocastrates and surgical castrates and better than in entire males. Immunocastration can appear as a welfare friendly technique compared to surgical castration without anaesthesia (no pain related to physical castration) and to entire male production (reduced aggressive and mounting behaviour). Most of the stakeholders are still reluctant to pick up the procedure because they have concerns about operator's safety, public acceptance and the proportion of vaccinated animals that will not be effectively immunised.
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