Document type : Article published in Pig333
Author: Pig333
Preview Anaesthesia during castration is mandatory in Germany. How is it carried out?
* Ketamine/azaperone injection administered by the veterinarian
New regulations allow farmers to administer general anaesthesia to piglets via inhalation of isoflurane. This is how the German swine industry is adapting so far.
As of January 1, 2021, castration of piglets in Germany is only allowed under general anaesthesia (not local anaesthesia, not pain mitigation). The new regulations allow farmers and other knowledgeable persons to administer general anaesthesia via inhalation of isoflurane.
This new situation makes us curious to know how this methodology is being implemented in the second largest pig producing country in the European Union. That is why we contacted Sven Häuser, Division Manager of Livestock Farming & On-farm Operations at DLG Competence Center for Agriculture and Manager of the European Pig Producers Club, to learn more about the implementation of the system.
According to Häuser, before the new regulations were implemented, an estimated 5% of male piglets were intact, 5% of male piglets were immunocastrated, and 90% of male piglets were castrated.
Now piglet producers in Germany must choose one of the following options:
- Finishing of intact boars
- Finishing of immunocastrated boars
- General anaesthesia methods:
* Ketamine/azaperone injection administered by the veterinarian
* Isoflurane inhalation anaesthesia administered by trained farmers or personnel
The method has to fulfill the requirements of the demand. A large number of pigs in Southern Germany are sold directly to butchers that are processing pork with a special need for intramuscular fat and without any boar taint. Such finishing farms prefer castrating piglets.
In Germany there is a "quality market" which makes up 10% of the market and has label programmes, driven by factors such as animal welfare, and was already using the system of castration under anaesthesia. The other "global market" makes up the remaining 90%. The average slaughter weight of hogs in Germany is about 96 kg. The weight depends more on the general market situation relating to price level.
In regards to the use of isoflurane anaesthesia, it is estimated that 45% of all male piglets are castrated under isoflurane currently in Germany. The fact that the new regulations allow the farmers to administer the anaesthesia themselves has increased its use. But the increase is also a result of the financial support by the Agricultural Ministry for the acquisition costs for the anaesthesia machines.
