Updated 02/04/07

The overall objective of the project is to provide information that will support EU policy on the welfare implications of surgical castration in pigs. This is achieved via a review of existing information and gathering of new information regarding the practice of pig castration in the EU, stakeholder attitudes to this practice and possible alternatives to existing surgical interventions.

The specific objectives are:

OBJECTIVE 1 : To collect information on the attitudes of the various stakeholders (consumer groups, NGOs and industry stakeholders) ;

OBJECTIVE 2 : To collect information on the extent of the practice of castration of piglets (male or female) within the EU and the conditions under which castration is performed ;

OBJECTIVE 3 : To evaluate research work and other sources of information, in order to examine surgical castration without anaesthesia and its possible alternatives from different perspectives and derive research priorities;

OBJECTIVE 4 : To integrate the collected information and evaluation in a report providing support for EU policy in the field of research and legislation.