Multi-Step Tail Biting Outbreak Intervention Protocols for Pigs Housed on Slatted Floors

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Tail biting outbreaks (TBOs) are a persistent challenge in commercial pig farming, even on well-managed farms.
• Effective management strategies are essential to mitigate the negative impacts of TBOs on animal welfare and farm productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of multi-step intervention protocols for controlling TBOs in undocked pigs.
• To compare the success rates of different intervention strategies and identify factors influencing their efficacy.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 96 pens with 1248 undocked pigs on fully-slatted floors.
• Recording of 40 TBOs, defined as ≥3 pigs with fresh tail wounds.
• Implementation of interventions: removal of biters, removal of victims, or addition of enrichment (ropes).
• Sequential application of interventions if initial attempts failed.

Main Results:

• Fifty percent of TBOs were resolved after a single intervention.
• An additional 30% were controlled using 2-3 interventions, resulting in an 80% overall success rate.
• Intervention success was negatively impacted by a high proportion of involved biters or victims per pen.
• Adding enrichment (ropes) was the fastest single intervention for TBO control.
• Removed pigs were successfully reintegrated into their pens within 14 days.

Conclusions:

• Multi-step intervention strategies are effective in controlling TBOs in commercial pig production.
• Approximately 80% of TBOs can be resolved within an average of 18.4 days using cost-effective methods.
• Proactive management and timely intervention are key to minimizing the impact of tail biting in pigs.