Assessing Decision Support Tools for Mitigating Tail Biting in Pork Production: Current Progress and Future...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Veterinary Medicine
• Agricultural Technology

Background:

• Tail biting (TB) in pigs is a complex behavioral issue with multifactorial causes, making precise etiology difficult to determine.
• Decision Support Tools (DSTs) offer a potential method for identifying TB risk factors and guiding farm management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify existing DSTs for predicting the risk of tail biting behavior in pigs.
• To review technologies that can support DSTs in monitoring and tracking TB prevalence.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search using PRISMA methodology was employed to identify relevant DSTs.
• The review focused on DSTs applicable to tail biting in swine production systems.

Main Results:

• Nine DSTs related to pig tail biting were identified, primarily relying on literature or expert opinion for risk factor determination.
• Validation of these DSTs was limited, with only one externally validated, seven self-assessed, and one lacking validation evidence.
• Current DSTs predominantly use secondary data, highlighting a gap in objective, multi-source data integration.

Conclusions:

• Existing DSTs for pig tail biting have significant limitations due to a lack of external validation and reliance on subjective data.
• There is a critical need for developing novel DSTs that integrate objective environmental, animal, and human data.
• Incorporating real-time monitoring technologies into DSTs presents a promising avenue for improved TB risk prediction and management.