Does Immunocastration Affect Behaviour and Body Lesions in Heavy Pigs?

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Surgical castration is standard but raises welfare concerns.
• Immunocastration is an emerging alternative, primarily studied in light pigs.
• Heavy pig production requires specific welfare assessments for immunocastration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of immunocastration on animal welfare in heavy pigs.
• To compare immunocastration with surgical castration regarding behavior and lesions.
• To evaluate productive and carcass traits alongside welfare indicators.

Main Methods:

• 188 commercial-hybrid pigs were divided into surgical castration (SC) and immunocastration (IC) groups.
• Behavior, body lesions, and salivary testosterone were monitored at multiple ages.
• Productive performance and carcass traits were analyzed post-slaughter.

Main Results:

• Immunocastrated pigs exhibited faster growth and higher slaughter weights.
• A welfare concern was noted before 32 weeks, with higher testosterone and lesions in IC pigs.
• Increased active behaviors were observed in IC pigs at 15 weeks.

Conclusions:

• Immunocastration is a viable alternative to surgical castration for heavy pigs, offering economic benefits.
• Potential welfare challenges exist during the early stages of immunocastration, requiring further study.
• Optimizing immunocastration protocols is crucial for ensuring animal welfare in heavy pig production.