Journal
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
Volume 103, Issue -, Pages 80-86Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.09.019
Keywords
Altematives; Boar taint; Hands-on experience; Farmer; Immunocastration; Piglet castration
Categories
Funding
- Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research (ILVO)
- VLAM
- Agriculture and Fisheries Agency (Flemish Government)
- Boerenbond
- Belporc
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This study evaluates the influence of practical experience with alternatives for surgical castration (SC) on farmer attitudes. Nineteen farmers in Flanders were surveyed before (ex-ante) and after (ex-post) performing each of five treatments on farm: 1) SC with analgesia (SCAN); 2) SC with CO2 anaesthesia (SCCO2); 3) immunocastration (IM); 4) production of entire males (EM); and 5) SC without pain relief (SCN). For SCCO2 and SCAN, farmers mainly experienced disadvantages in terms of increased labour, costs and complexity. Hands-on experience promoted EM as a valid alternative for SCN due to the actual and perceived improvement in performance and profitability as well as the reduced labour demands. Experience with IM did not fully fulfil the favourable ex-ante expectations resulting in a level of dissatisfaction and a less favourable general attitude ex-post. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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