2024

Niemi, Jarkko K; Stevenson, Peter

The costs of tail biting lesions across Europe are around €0.6 to €3.4 per finished pig. These costs are mainly caused by additional work, material and medication costs, carcass price discounts, impaired feed conversion efficiency and growth rate of pigs. Losses associated with tail biting lesions are influenced by the incidence and severity of tail biting on the farm. Additional work and inputs are needed also to control tail biting preventively. While low-cost measures can be economically profitable already at low levels of efficacy, high-cost measures require that they can mitigate substantial losses. Widespread use of tail docking seems to be accepted because the alternative steps that producers are required to take before resorting to it are not specified in detail, and because it seems to be less risky and more profitable to produce docked than undocked pigs. Scientific research and a European Commission Recommendation indicate that when considering the legal obligation to try to prevent tail biting by changing inadequate environmental conditions or management systems, inspectors and pig producers should assess, and consider whether improvements are needed regarding thermal comfort and air quality; health status; diet; competition for space or feed; cleanliness; and the quality and quantity of enrichment material that is provided. If tail biting is still a problem on the farm, farmers should carefully consider what additional improvements are needed to prevent tail biting rather than assuming that no further action is necessary because certain levels, for example of enrichment, air quality, space allowance and health, have already been reached.