Eliminating the need for castration of male piglets

Eliminating the need for castration of male piglets

A technology will in the future make the castration of piglets unnecessary. This will improve animal welfare and production efficiency

About the project

It is a huge problem for farmers world wide that they have to castrate almost all male piglets to prevent the pigs from developing ”boar taint”, which in reality renders the meat useless.

Today, the slaughter houses are not able to identify carcasses from which the meat will have the boar taint. The only tool that the industry has is to ensure that no meat develops the taint – therefore the castration of all piglets. And this in spite of the fact that only 5% develops the boar taint.

The project aims at developing a measurement instrument that can be used in slaughter houses as a fast and reliable means to identify the carcasses that will develop the boar taint.

There are various benefits of avoiding castration: the obvious welfare for the piglets, but also, the farmer will get a more efficient production of pigs as male pigs are more feed-efficient.

The slaughter house will get a tool to ensure high quality pigs and the consumer will be able to buy meat that is produced without incisions and additional use of medicine.  

 

Facts

Duration: 3 years
Project period: 2010-2013

Phase 2: The good project – the first results

Budget: 1.5 €m
HTF investment: 0.7 €m

Partners

KU – LIFE and Carometec A/S

 
The Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation
Holbergsgade 14 3, DK-1057 Copenhagen Ph. +45 3363 7280info(at)hoejteknologifonden.dk