Sexual maturity as risk for development of deviant behaviours in pig production systems with entire males
Journal
Veterinarski Glasnik 2021, 75 (2), 112-131
Date Issued
2021-10-29
Author(s)
1. Nakov, D., Trajchev, M., Hristov, S., Stanković, B., Cincović, M., Zlatanović, Z., Bojkovski, J.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2298/VETGL210727012N
Abstract
Male piglets are castrated primarily to avoid the unpleasant boar taint in meat, and
additionally for the predisposition of castrates to accumulate fat and for their lower
risk of developing unwanted behaviours. There are two main strategies available for
withdrawing from surgical castration: one is immunocastration and the other is to raise
entire male pigs or boars. Additionally, raising intact boars is more profitable because of
the production of carcasses with lean meat and better feed conversion. Boars (compared
to castrates) exhibit more aggressive, sexual, damaging social behaviour and reduced
feeding behaviour with a lower prevalence of sickness behaviour as a result of good
health and low susceptibility to chronic inflammation. In this review, the behaviours
specific for boars as a result of sexual maturity are reviewed, with an overview of
differences in the behaviour of surgically castrated barrows, immunocastrates and boars
reared in group-housed systems. The raising of boars allows for good welfare of these
animals in early life, but later, on reaching sexual maturity, the welfare of boars can be diminished because of their propensity to aggression and more mounting behaviour
than castrates. Innovations in the breeding and management of boars are needed to
improve their performance and to reduce welfare implications of these animals raised
in social groups, and in particular to minimize deviant behaviours towards pen mates.
additionally for the predisposition of castrates to accumulate fat and for their lower
risk of developing unwanted behaviours. There are two main strategies available for
withdrawing from surgical castration: one is immunocastration and the other is to raise
entire male pigs or boars. Additionally, raising intact boars is more profitable because of
the production of carcasses with lean meat and better feed conversion. Boars (compared
to castrates) exhibit more aggressive, sexual, damaging social behaviour and reduced
feeding behaviour with a lower prevalence of sickness behaviour as a result of good
health and low susceptibility to chronic inflammation. In this review, the behaviours
specific for boars as a result of sexual maturity are reviewed, with an overview of
differences in the behaviour of surgically castrated barrows, immunocastrates and boars
reared in group-housed systems. The raising of boars allows for good welfare of these
animals in early life, but later, on reaching sexual maturity, the welfare of boars can be diminished because of their propensity to aggression and more mounting behaviour
than castrates. Innovations in the breeding and management of boars are needed to
improve their performance and to reduce welfare implications of these animals raised
in social groups, and in particular to minimize deviant behaviours towards pen mates.
Subjects
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