Sustainability in Pig Production with Immunocastration

European pig production faces a big challenge in the near future as stakeholders voluntarily agreed to end surgical castration (SC) without anaesthesia and pain relief after 2018. Despite public disapproval in a number of EU countries, the majority of male piglets are still surgically castrated. An alternative is raising entire males (EM), but this results in meat quality and welfare problems. Another alternative is immunocastration (IC), but wide application of this technique is hampered by technological issues and social acceptability.
The aim of this project is to critically evaluate and optimise pork production with IC as an environmental, economic and socially sustainable alternative. The project will provide support for pork industry and farmers, but also for the decision-making and improving processes of governmental authorities towards an animal-friendly and consumer-accepted pork production across the EU.