Hans

@hans1671102377 · 05 Jul 2020

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Animal welfare?

The Netherlands where cattle farmers claim that we have the highest #dierenwelzijn level.

In Europe it has been agreed to stop castrating piglets completely. At present, a transitional period applies and piglets may still be castrated, provided anaesthesia is applied.

But the anesthetic is at least as stressful as the castration itself. In the CO2 anaesthesia, the piglets hang upside down in a kind of funnel and are given CO2 gas. This gas is painful for the respiratory tract and causes respiratory distress and death before unconsciousness occurs. In addition, the piglets still have days of castration.

Since 1 July 2019, the administration of a painkiller after castration is already mandatory for Dutch pig farmers exporting piglets to Germany. From 1 July 2020, that obligation shall also apply to all other Dutch pig farmers. A single injection, prior to castration, provides pain relief and is also febrile and anti-inflammatory.

Male piglets are castrated because the meat of uncastrated pigs can very often stink when baking, the so-called 'bear smell'. This boar taint occurs in only 2 percent of the meat. A simple odour test after slaughter can prevent this meat from getting on the shelves.

Nevertheless, some 25% of male piglets are castrated in the Netherlands, especially in piglets destined for export. Castration is now even more common than a few years ago!

Source: Pigs in Emergency
More info about pigs on VATD blog: