Expected effects on carcass and pork quality when surgical castration is omitted — Results of a meta-analysis study

Pauly, C.; Luginbühl, Werner; Ampuero, S.; Bee, Giuseppe

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.06.007

Cited by 70 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The results of both trials also confirm the existing knowledge on lean meat percentage, with lowest values for SCM, highest for EM and intermediate for IM Morales et al, 2010;Boler et al, 2012;Furnols et al, 2012;Pauly et al, 2012). The effect on carcass conformation is less reported.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Field experience with surgical castration with anaesthesia, analgesia, immunocastration and production of entire male pigs: performance, carcass traits and boar taint prevalence

Aluwé¹,

Tuyttens²,

Millet³

2015

Animal

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Male piglets are castrated to reduce boar taint and also to reduce aggressive and sexual behaviour. However, the procedure as traditionally performed is painful and negatively affects performance. Large-scale results about the consequences of implementing alternatives on farms are lacking. We, therefore, investigated the practical applicability of the following five alternatives that can be implemented in the short term: surgical castration (1) without pain relief (CONT, control group), (2) with analgesia (MET, Metacam, 0.2 ml, 10 to 15 min before castration), (3) with general anaesthesia (CO 2 , inhalation, 100% CO 2 , 25 s, 3 l/min), (4) vaccination against boar taint (IM, two injections with Improvac) and (5) production of entire males (EM). The study consisted of the following two trials: (1) an experimental farm trial with 18 animals/treatment and (2) a large field trial on 20 farms with 120 male pigs/farm per treatment and all treatments performed on each farm. Performance results as well as data on carcass traits, boar taint (hot-iron method) and testes development and weight were collected in both trials. Neither castration nor administration of analgesia or anaesthesia had an effect on daily gain of the piglets in the farrowing crates ( P > 0.05). Farmer records indicated that mortality in the farrowing crates (1.1%), nursery pens (1.8%) and fattening stable (2.2%) was not influenced by MET or CO 2 compared with EM, IM or CONT ( P > 0.05). No significant differences were found for daily gain ( P > 0.05) nor slaughter age ( P > 0.05). Immunocastrates and EM had a better gain-to-feed ratio ( P < 0.05) compared with the groups of barrows (CONT, MET and CO 2 ). Lean meat percentage was higher for EM compared with the barrows, and intermediate for IM ( P < 0.05). Carcass yield was lowest for IM ( P < 0.05). The hot-iron method indicated that boar taint was eliminated in barrows and IM compared with EM ( P < 0.001). Average prevalence of strong boar taint was 3% for EM, but varied from 0% to 14% between farms. As the effect of treatment on performance as well as the level of boar taint of EM was farm dependent, farmers should be encouraged to pre-test the different alternatives in order to make a well-considered choice for the best practical and profitable alternative for their farm.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Field experience with surgical castration with anaesthesia, analgesia, immunocastration and production of entire male pigs: performance, carcass traits and boar taint prevalence

Aluwé¹,

Tuyttens²,

Millet³

2015

Animal

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“…For IMF content, results were more logical, with a significant difference between gilts and IM-6, both not significantly different from IM-4. The higher IMF content of IM-6 compared with gilts is in line with the differences seen between boars and immunocastrates, with the latter having higher IMF content (Pauly et al, 2012). We can conclude that meat quality attributes and sensory characteristics did not differ significantly between both groups of immunocastrates.…”

Section: Carcass Quality and Dressingsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…In a previous field study, feed conversion increased by +0.2 for barrows and +0.1 for immunocastrates compared with entire male pigs for the overall finishing phase (Aluwé et al, 2015). Literature also indicates that meat, but also fat thickness of immunocastrates is higher compared with boars, resulting in a similar or lower estimated lean meat percentage and higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content compared with boars (Pauly et al, 2012;Aluwé et al, 2015). Considering these differences in performance results between entire male pigs, immunocastrates, and surgically castrated male pigs, it can be expected that an optimal timing of V2 can improve production results as has been suggested in other studies (Bonneau and Enright, 1995;Dunshea et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Immunocastrated male pigs: effect of 4 v. 6 weeks time post second injection on performance, carcass quality and meat quality

Aluwé

Degezelle

Depuydt

et al. 2016

animal

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Immunocastration or vaccination against boar taint can be used as alternative for surgical castration of male piglets. The vaccine is administrated twice. After the second vaccination (V2), the pigs behave like barrows instead of boars and their feed intake increases which may result in a lower lean meat percentage. The timing of V2 is therefore crucial to find the right balance between the advantages of entire males and barrows. In this study, we evaluated the effect of time post second injection within the advised time frame (4 v. 6 weeks before slaughter) on behaviour, performance, carcass and meat quality of immunocastrated male pigs. In total, 180 animals (hybrid sow × Piétrain): 60 gilts, 60 male pigs vaccinated 6 weeks before slaughter (IM-6) and 60 male pigs vaccinated 4 weeks before slaughter (IM-4), all slaughtered at comparable slaughter weights. After 20 weeks of age, IM-6 showed more inactive behaviour at the expense of playing and aggressive behaviour. Daily feed intake (DFI), daily gain (DG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) did not differ significantly between IM-6 and IM-4. Gilts had a lower DFI and DG in the late finishing phase and a higher FCR overall compared with both IM groups. Gilts showed a higher lean meat content compared with both IM groups. Earlier vaccination increased dressing percentage, which could partly be explained by the lower weight of the gastrointestinal tract, but not by testes weight. Meat quality traits and palatability did not differ significantly between IM-6 and IM-4. Vaccination of immunocastrates at 6 compared with 4 weeks before slaughter improved the calmness in the stable and the dressing percentage, while maintaining performance and carcass characteristics.

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“…The review by Lundström et al (2009) pointed to other substantial meat quality issues such as higher incidence of dark, firm, dry meat, lower dressing percentage and less favourable joint proportions in entire male pigs compared with castrates; these parameters could not be taken into account with the information collected in this study. Newer studies also indicate issues with water holding capacity and meat toughness Pauly et al, 2012;Aluwé et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is well known that entire males deposit less fat (including intramuscular) than surgical castrates and the fat is also more unsaturated (Pauly et al, 2012). Quantity and quality of fat is an important aspect for all dry products undergoing a long maturation process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential sensitivity of pork production situations aiming at high-quality products to the use of entire male pigs as an alternative to surgical castrates

Bonneau

Čandek-Potokar

Škrlep

et al. 2018

Animal

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The perspective of a possible ban on surgical castration of male pigs in the EU is a real challenge for pork production systems aiming at (very) high-quality products. Information was collected from a total of 272 situations in 16 European countries, including 170 situations related to EU protected designations (Database of Origin & Registration (DOOR) database) and 102 other situations related to high-quality products or differentiated production systems, in order to evaluate their potential sensitivity to the use of entire male pigs along four dimensions: BT_Inc, likelihood of increased levels of boar taint compounds compared with conventional production of entire males; BT_Per, extent to which (some of) the associated pork product(s) are susceptible to perception of boar taint by consumers; FatQQ, likelihood that the quality of (some of) the related products is decreased due to the lower fat quantity and quality in entire males; Manag, increased likelihood of animal management and welfare problems compared with conventional production of entire males. Situations corresponding to EU protected designations (DOOR situations) were on average more sensitive to entire male production but 11% of the non-DOOR situations were highly potentially sensitive, whereas one-third of the DOOR situations had low potential sensitivity. In total, 37% of the situations where castration is not formally specified as mandatory exhibited high potential sensitivity to entire male production. Three main patterns of situations were identified via ascending hierarchical clustering. A first pattern including 31% of the DOOR situations and 74% of the other ones, had potentially no increased risk compared with conventional production of entire males. A second pattern including 28% of the DOOR situations and 16% of the other ones had a high, moderate and low potential sensitivity for FatQQ, BT_Inc and Manag, respectively. The third pattern including 41% of the DOOR situations and 11% of the other situations had high potential sensitivity for BT_Inc and FatQQ, associated with moderate to high sensitivity for Manag. The approach used to evaluate the sensitivity to entire male pig production from the limited information collected for this study has many limitations. More precise approaches using more specific information are needed to evaluate the actual sensitivity of individual situations to the use of entire male pigs. Still, the present study provides a first global insight on the capacity of European production systems aiming at high-quality products to use entire male pigs as an alternative to surgical castration.Keywords: pig, entire male, castration, meat, quality ImplicationsThe perspective of a possible ban on surgical castration of male pigs in the EU is a real challenge for pork production systems aiming at (very) high-quality products. Potential sensitivity to the use of entire male pigs as an alternative to surgical castrates was evaluated in 272 situations in 16 European countries. No, or marginally higher, potential risk compare...

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Expected effects on carcass and pork quality when surgical castration is omitted — Results of a meta-analysis study

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Field experience with surgical castration with anaesthesia, analgesia, immunocastration and production of entire male pigs: performance, carcass traits and boar taint prevalence

Field experience with surgical castration with anaesthesia, analgesia, immunocastration and production of entire male pigs: performance, carcass traits and boar taint prevalence

Immunocastrated male pigs: effect of 4 v. 6 weeks time post second injection on performance, carcass quality and meat quality

Potential sensitivity of pork production situations aiming at high-quality products to the use of entire male pigs as an alternative to surgical castrates

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