Assessing tail-biting in slaughtered pigs - a comprehensive overview

Tail-biting is a damaging behaviour in pigs, and its occurrence is widely regarded as a reliable indicator of impaired animal welfare. Tail-docking has been the most widespread preventive measure; however, it causes acute pain, and therefore represents a welfare concern in itself. European Union legislation prohibits the routine tail-docking. Nevertheless, compliance remains inconsistent, and tail-docking continues to be widely practiced in many Member States, as well as in major pig-producing countries outside the European Union. There is growing interest in using abattoirs as suitable and cost-effective tools for monitoring pig health and welfare. Despite this, inconsistencies in recording practices hinder the reliable use of meat inspection data for animal welfare surveillance. This review provides an updated overview of tail-biting assessment at slaughter, with particular focus on the main features of available scoring methodologies, which could serve as a basis for developing an effective and widely accepted scoring system.