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Presentation at the Animal Welfare Platform

Gé Backus presented an overview of the work of the international voluntary subgroup on ending piglet castration on the June 16th meeting of the European Animal Welfare Platform. He concluded …

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Webinar “footprint of male pigs in Europe”

Boars on the Way in cooperation with Pig Progress hosted a webinar on the environmental impact of keeping entire boars. The webinar was broadcast on Thursday, February 23, and can …

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Ending castration of piglets explained (you tube)

The impact of ending castration of entire male pigs in Europe is explained in a two minutes YouTube animation. Ending piglet castration is better for the animal, saves money for …

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Footprint of entire male pigs in Europe (pdf)

Ending piglet castration in the EU results in a lower footprint of in total 4.4 million ton CO2 equivalents per year. Producing boars instead of barrows results in a better …

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Market acceptance of Danish boars

Danish Crown will slaughter an additional 1.2 million male pigs. Keeping bears is good for both animal welfare and the sustainability of Danish pork production. A pilot project evaluates whether …

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Consumers’ view on pork

Online surveys were performed with 11,294 consumers from ten EU and four non-EU countries. Four consumer segments were identified: Demanding, Average, Low-on eco, and Indifferent. It is concluded that consumer …

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Ending castration success stories: Belgian retailers switch to castration-free

Retailers and food service operators in Belgium contribute to the ending of surgical castration in various innovative ways. Read their success stories and learn what they did right. Belgium-based food …

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Ending castration success stories: Entire males in France and vaccination in Spain and Poland

Farmers and pork producers in France, Spain and Poland are doing their share to end surgical castration. Read their success stories and learn how they went about it. Entire males …

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Advantages of ending surgical castration

Farmers, slaughterhouses, food processors, retailers and food service operators alike can benefit from ending surgical castration of piglets. Areas where advantages can be realized are animal welfare, feed efficiency, environment, …

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Reducing boar taint risk in entire males

Reducing the risk of boar taint in entire males is essential for realizing market acceptance of meat from non-castrated pigs. The European Commission shared a fact sheet designed for pig …

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Video: Benefits of raising entire males from a farmer’s and an operator’s perspective

There are two alternative options for surgical castration while avoiding boar taint. One is to raise entire male pigs and the other is to vaccinate. Both ensure better animal health …

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Educational materials on alternative methods to surgical pig castration

The EU Animal Welfare Platform held its ninth meeting on June 22, 2021. One of the topic was alternative methods to surgical pig castration. At the Platform meeting information was …

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Brocéliande organic pig breeders no longer castrate pigs

French producers

Most of the organic pig breeders at Brocéliande, part of the large French pork cooperative Cooperl, have chosen to no longer castrate their pigs. The combination of organic pig farming …

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Fact sheets on ending surgical boar castration

The European Commission produced educational materials to help farmers, meat processors and retailers transitioning away from surgical castration of pigs, including factsheets on ending surgical castration and methods to detect …

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New detection method

To meet consumer demands for high quality pork it is necessary to sort out pig carcasses containing a high concentration of the two compounds that are the cause of boar …

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Is the market ready?

Is the market ready

At the IPEMA conference Gé Backus presented the current situation regarding market acceptance of meat from non-castrated animals. As entire male pigs are leaner and tend to have less back …

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Fruitful online IPEMA conference

Fruitful conference

On September 15th the virtual IPEMA conference on practical solutions to the issue of piglet castration took place. Around 300 people from 30 countries attended this webinar. The take home …

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No ideal anaesthesia method for castration

In an expert meeting, seven international experts from Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and The Netherlands concluded that so far, there is no ideal anesthesia/analgesia method for pig castration. This …

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Invitation for the virtual IPEMA meeting

Tuesday 15th September 2020, 10:00-12:00 You are invited to participate in the IPEMA final meeting on practical solutions to the issue of piglet castration.  Next to the meeting, registration gives …

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French producers shift to entire male piglets

French producers

Ten French producer organizations will process and market pork from uncastrated male piglets. ln a letter addressed to their breeders, Agrial, Eureden, Elpo, Evel’up, GRPPO, Porcineo, Porélia, Syproporcs, Porveo, and …

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Pig production and pork consumption questionnaire

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In order to collect insights in consumer attitudes towards different ways of pig production, an online survey is created at ILVO (Belgium) in collaboration with the COST IPEMA network, involving …

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Johanna Mörlein: studying consumer acceptance

Johanna_Mörlein

“We urgently need to turn the strictly scientific perspective to a relevant and practical one.” Johanna Mörlein is a researcher at the University of Göttingen. She studied agriculture at the …

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Consumer acceptance of (tainted) boar meat

Two independent studies of the University of Göttingen tested the consumer acceptance of Frankfurter sausages made with varying contents of (tainted) boar meat. They simultaneously studied four factors relevant for …

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Economics of pig farming without castration

From 2020 on, piglet castration without anaesthesia will be banned in Germany. There are different strategies that farmers can adapt in order to farm without castration. A working paper of …

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Accelerating decline in boar tainted carcasses at COOPERL

As of today all terminal boars by Nucléus – PIETRAIN and VIGOR – are INO certified. This means: without risk of odour transmission. The INO label is based on the …

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Promising new boar taint detection method

A new boar taint detection method, developed by the Danish Research Meat Institute DTI, detects boar taint in a quantitative and objective way. It determines skatole and androstenone levels, and …

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Pain relief medication

A new pain relief medication for castrated piglets will be introduced in Europe. The medicine promises a significant pain reduction for the piglets. It is a gel that contains both …

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Overview of feed ingredients reducing boar taint

The IPEMA Work group on Nutrition has published a list of feed interventions with boar taint reducing capacity. Many research projects have been carried out to evaluate how boar taint …

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Boar taint successfully reduced by breeding efforts

Boar taint prevalence has been reduced from approximately 3% to 1% in the last five years. This is a conclusion of a study on the Dutch pork supply chain that …

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Castration: The Balkan perspective

A big survey revealed that almost half of the eastern european population is against castration. The survey conducted in 2017, among 5.508 consumers from thirteen eastern european countries addressed consumers’ …

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Technological breakthrough in ending castration

Recombinetics/Acceligen and Hendrix Genetics have announced that they successfully used a genome editing method for pigs that remain in a pre-pubertal state, thus eliminating the need for surgical castration. The …

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New research on best practices at different levels of the supply chain

The Animal Health and Welfare unit, from the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, published a report on entire male pig best practices. The study considers practices used in production …

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Feed reduces boar taint

Connecting Agri & Food has supported the development of a new type of feed that helps to reduce boar taint. Vitelia Voeders has developed the feed, in collaboration with VOF …

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Modification payment Tönnies uncastrated fattening of pigs into effect

uncastrated fattening pigs

“From 1-1-2019 it is forbidden in Germany to castrate piglets without pain control. Based on controversial discussion about the right way to do so, there is much uncertainty in the …

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Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize to switch entirely to boar meat

To this end, the chain will cooperate with a network of over 200 pig farmers in Belgium. So writes Vilt [Belgian agriculture and horticulture info centre]. The idea is for …

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Presentation Annechien ten Have

December 11, 2017 At the IPEMA industry workshop which took take place in Cluj-Napoca on 29.09.2017 Annechien ten Have did give a presentation about her twenty years experience with raising …

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New detection method for boar taint

At the ICoMST 2017 conference in Cork Ireland Claus Borggaard and his colleagues from the Danish Meat Research Institute presented the At-line rapid instrumental method for measuring the boar taint …

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Dissertation on marketing meat from boars

In Germany Diana Engesser conducted an excellent bibliographic work on practical solutions to use entire male meat and boar tainted meat in particular. A summary of her thesis work in …

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EU: Castration without anaesthesia still common

Less than a year before its own deadline, the pig industry in the European Union is still widely castrating without anaesthesia. Several years ago, the European pig industry voluntarily opted …

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France: Focus on castration increasing

March 1, 2017 The French animal welfare organisation PMAF (Protection mondiale des animaux de ferme) currently started a massive communication campaign against piglet castration. The campaign is based on posters that …

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Many questions and great interest in non-castration in Wallonia

On February 14, 2017 a meeting of the College des Producteurs Wallonie took place in Namur, (Belgium). Most important topic in the program was a discussion about whether or not …

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CASTRUM study on alternative methods of anesthesia and analgesia for the castration of pigs

February 6, 2017 Against the background of the European declaration to voluntarily stopping castration by January 1, 2018, DG Santé of the European Commission has commissioned a study to examine …

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Meeting European Expert Group on non-castration in Brussels

On January 10, 2017 the European expert group came together in Brussels to talk about stopping surgical castration of pigs. At the sixth meeting of the group representatives from 20 …

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Workshop on boar taint detection

January 31, 2017 On 15 March 2017 a workshop takes place on boar taint detection in Göttingen (Germany) . The workshop ‘Train the trainer’ is organized by Isi GmbH. The …

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Ferkelkastration — Lebensmittelhändler preschen vor

Der Gezetzgeber in Deutschland verbietet ab 2019, das Ferkel ohne Betübung kastriert werden dArfen. Um sicherzustellen, das der in 2013 getroffene Beschluss umgezsetzt werden kann, hat der Bundesregierung noch im …

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Ferkelkastration – Der Ausweg aus der Kastrationsfalle

Dienstag, 17. Januar 2017 fleischwirtschaft.de – MÜNCHEN Neue Alternative für die Kastration von Ferkeln. Rechtsgutachten zeigt gangbaren Weg, aber Forschung ist nötig. Das Ende der betübungslosen Ferkelkastration naht mit Riesenschritten. …

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Pig castration: will the EU manage to ban pig castration by 2018?

source: Porcine Health Management 20 December 2016 In 2010, the European Declaration on alternatives to surgical castration of pigs was agreed. The Declaration stipulates that from January 1, 2012, surgical …

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Meeting EU Expertgroup on castration in Brussels

The next meeting of the European expert group on piglet castration will take place on January 10, 2017 in Brussels. The meeting is organized by the Animal Welfare Division of …

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Winter meeting ZNVG Impossible to ignore signals in society

On December 6, 2016 a seminar took place in Nortof (Germany)on the complex subject of castration of male piglets. The Seminar was organized by ZNVG (Vermarktungsgemeinschaft für Zucht- und Nutzvie). …

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Quality of boars, barrows and gilts

December 2, 2016 Preventive measures like feeding, breeding and housing are effective in reducing boar taint Fleischwirtschaft Inernational 6/2016 By Dr.ir. Gé Backus, project coordinator for the Wageningen UR research on …

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Stopping piglet castration causes headaches in Lower Saxony

December 2, 2016 Fleischwirtschaft.de Editors desk 1 December 2016 HANNOVER Lower Saxony’s sows and pigs producers are uncertain because there is still a lack of practical solutions for the withdrawal …

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Qualität von Jungeber, Börgen und Jungsauen

Preventive Massnahmen wie Fütterung, Zucht und die Einrichtung vom Stall sind wirksam bei der Verringerung der Ebergeruch Fleischwirtschaft International 6/2016 Dr.ir. Gé Backus, Projektkoordinator der Wageningen UR-Forschung zur Ferkelkastration sowie Vorsitzender …

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Ferkelkastration — Ausstieg bereitet Kopfzerbrechen

Redaktion fleischwirtschaft.de 1. Dezember 2016 HANNOVER Niedersachsens Sauen- und Schweinehalter sind verunsichert, denn es fehlt weiter an praxistauglichen Lesungen für den Ausstieg aus der betübungslosen Ferkelkastration. Dieser muss nach Angaben des …

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Tagung in Nortof am 6.12.2016 über die Herausforderungen von nicht kastrierten Männlichen Ferkel

Am 6.Dezember 2016 wird in Nortof die ZNVG Wintertagung organisiert. Das Programm der Tagung bezieht sich auf die Herausforderungen für die Zukunft des Branches, wenn männliche Ferkel nicht kastriert sind. …

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Sensory Quality Control of Boar Taint

uncastrated fattening pigs

Sensory Quality Control of Boar Taint  PhD-thesis Johanna Trautmann, University of Goettingen The concerns about pig castration have led to changes in European law and will most certainly have lasting …

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Swiss evaluate three alternatives to castration

November 25, 2016 The Swiss FSVO (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office) investigated amongst members of the EuroFAWC (European Forum for Animal Welfare) the state of affairs concerning the castration …

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Castration of pigs in Germany QS carried out impact assessment

Fleischwirtschaft QS has carried out an impact assessment on the consequences of stopping castration of piglets in Germany as of 2019. Prohibition of castration of pigs without anesthesia in Germany …

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Ferkelkastration in Deutschland QS legt Folgenabschätzung vor

November 25, 2016 fleischwirtschaft.de  BONN QS liegt Folgenabschaetzung vor Verbot der betübungslosen Ferkelkastration ab 2019 in Deutschland wird erhebliche Auswirkungen haben – Experten erwarten starken Strukturwandel bei Erzeugern und Schlachtbetrieben …

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Exit from unstunned piglet castration

In June 2016, more than 200 experts discussed the withdrawal from the unstunned piglet castration at a joint meeting of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and QS …

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Test für Eberfleisch entwickelt

Wissenschaftler der Universität Göttingen haben sich in Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Bonn mit der Frage beschäftigt, wie sich das Risiko von Geruchsabweichungen bei Fleisch von unkastrierten Schweinen reduzieren und so …

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Sensory quality of boar taint: an interesting thesis

M.Sc.Agr. Johanna Trautman of the Department of Animal Sciences at the Georg-August-Univestity of Goettingen (DE) published an interesting thesis on Boar taint. The thesis contains a.o. the following interesting information. …

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Tierschutzbund droht mit Austritt

Der Deutsche Tierschutzbund droht, die Mitarbeit in der der sogenannten Initiative Tierwohl von Handel, Produzenten und Landwirtschaft aufzukA?ndigen und warnt vor Verbraucherbetrug.

Tierschutz mit einschneidenden Folgen

August 29, 2016 Ein Schnitt, ein Schrei und schon ist alles vorbei  diese Tradition in Ferkelställen hat auch in Deutschland ausgedient. Der Ausstieg aus der betubungslosen Kastration ist seit der …

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1,500 signatures against German ban on castration

1,500 people have signed a petition in Germany against the ban on castration of boars without anesthesia from January 1, 2019. This writes the German website TopAgrar. From January 1, …

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Castration of pigs in Germany, many positions but one goal

fleischwirtschaft.de – BERLIN The prescribed stop of castration without anesthesia in Germany per 2019 is getting closer. The development of alternative methods for castration of piglets without anesthesia has progressed …

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Raus aus der Absatzfalle

fleischwirtschaft.de – BERLIN The search for alternatives for the castration of piglets without anesthesia from 2019 in Germany has an impact on the German producers of meat and sausage . Read …

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Ban on castration of piglets without anesthesia in Germany

June 15, 2016 Journalist Renate Kühlcke of Fleischwirtschaft.de writes an analysis of the current status of pig castration in Germany. As of January 1, 2019, the ban on castration without …

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Editorial comment AFZ about the German ban on castration of piglets

Chief editor Jörg Schiffeler of the Allgemeine Fleischer Zeitung shares his editorial comment on the news site of Fleischwirtschaft.de about the ban on castration of piglets without anesthesia in Germany …

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Campig Boar taint research in Russia and China

Recent results are known from Campig boar taint research among 120 Russian and 120 Chinese female consumers. The study focused on the sensitivity to androstenone and skatole in the study …

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Symposium 9. June 2016 in Berlin, ending castration of piglets without anesthesia

On June 9, 2016, the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture organizes a symposium on the theme of ending castration of piglets without anesthesia. The symposium will take place in …

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2018 is in sight. The countdown started also in Germany

uncastrated fattening pigs

From January 1, 2019 pigs in Germany may no longer be castrated without anesthesia. This is enshrined in German law. Major marketparties such as Rewe, Edeka Südwest, Aldi Nord and …

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Belgian research on housing pigs and effect on boar taint

Eline Kowalski, a student at the University of Ghent conducted a study for her master’s thesis, to examine the effect of separated and mixed fattening of pigs on boar taint. …

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Study: How to lower occurrence of boar taint

Researchers from the Netherlands are about to publish an extensive research towards the reduction of boar taint when raising en using entire males in the food chain. The paper, to …

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The research program on ending castration of male pigs by Wageningen UR Life Sciences is accepted

The paper presenting the results of the program was aimed at evaluating 1) sensory evaluation of meat from entire mail pigs 2) preventive measures to reduce boar taint prevalence 3) …

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Alternativen zur betäubungslosen Ferkelkastration

QS-REPORT Fleisch und Fleischwaren 02/2016 Entscheidungshilfen für die Wirtschaft Ab dem 1. Januar 2019 wird es in Deutschland verboten sein, männliche Ferkel betubungslos zu kastrieren. So schreibt es das Tierschutzgesetz …

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