Tail biting is a major health and welfare problem in pig farming, and efficient tools to control the problem are lacking. Contrary to the aim of EU directive (2001/93/EC), tail docking is widely used in most countries. Tail docking is painful, and should be avoided, but tail biting is also undesirable. The project FareWellDock examined the efficiency of preventive measures (like enrichment) to reduce the need for tail docking:



Increasing the straw amount from 10 up to 400 g per pig and day had the following positive effects:

• Progressively reduced the occurrence of tail injuries and stomach ulcers;

• Progressively increased growth rate;

• Progressively increased the number of pigs, and the time spent engaging in straw-directed behaviour;

• Progressively reduced the time spent in behaviour redirected towards other pigs.



Recommendations

• To reduce injuries caused by tail biting outbreaks, use straw; it may be as effective as tail docking. For this purpose, the more straw the better;

• To ensure that sufficient straw is allocated check that there is left over straw before next day´s allocation;

• Examples of other preferred and effective materials are hay, silage, fresh pieces of soft wood, peat;

• Examples of less suitable materials: balls, hard wood, (short) chains, toys, rubber sticks;

• Materials should also be safe for the pig and the environment.