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Project
Alternatives to castration
Investigation on the exemplary implementation of a sustainable production of entire males under organic production procedures along the production, the slaughtering, the processing and the marketing chain
The acceptance of piglet castration is declining. Therefore, boar fattening could be an alternative. But the problems of boar taint are still not finally resolved.
Background and Objective
Entire male pig fattening or boar fattening is related with the occurrence of boar taint which smells of urine and sweat for sensitive persons. The main components are androstenone and skatole. Castration is the best way to avoid boar taint. The absence of testis prevents from androstenone synthesis and promotes skatole reduction in the liver. But castration – even under anaesthesia and analgesia – increasingly forfeits its social acceptance.
The aim of the project was to promote a risk-minimized organic boar fattening by producing recommendations for producers how to minimize the rate of carcasses with boar taint.
Approach
The whole project, which is a national joint project funded by BÖLN and with the project partners Giessen University, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, University of Göttingen and Thünen Institute of Organic Farming, is conducted in three stages.
The following aspects have been the responsibility of Thünen Institute of Organic Farming:
In stage 1, the effect of two different genotypes and a supplementary feed component in the final fattening period on animal performance and occurence of boar taint was tested.
In stage 2, the effect of the source of roughage was tested in an experiment with only one genotype, but two types pf roughage.
In stage 3, the potential of a novel vaccination scheme against boar taint was evaluated under the circumstances of organic pig husbandry.
Data and Methods
In phase 1 (2012-2015) , a total of 280 entire male fattening pigs differing in the genotype of their fathers (Piétrain vs. Duroc) were either fed a normal compound feed or received an additional 10 % raw potato starch during the final fattening period (> 95 kg live weight). Dat collection included fattening and slaughter performance, meat quality and the occurence of boar taint.
In phase 2 (2016-2018), a total of 144 entire male fattening pigs of the same genotype received either grass clover silage or straw as their mandatory roughage. The research question was if the type of roughage would influence the occurence of boar taint.
In stage 3 (2018-2020), a novel vaccination scheme againt boar taint was compared with a standard vaccination scheme with regard to their effect on the success of castration and the occurence of boar taint.
Results
In the first stage of the project, feeding 10 % raw potato starch resulted in lower skatole levels in entire males with Piétrain fathers.
The second stage of the project found no significant effect of the type of roughage on the occurence of boar taint.
In the third phase of the project, both early and conventional vaccination regime resulted in a good fattening and slaughter performance. However, the early vaccination regime could not completely prevent the occurrence of boar taint, whereas the conventionally vaccinated group did not have any odorous carcasses.
In all three project phases, typical boar behaviour could be observed, but did not lead to significant injuries. It can therefore be concluded that the management on the experimental farm allows boar fattening at a good animal welfare level. This includes stable groups from piglet rearing onwards, an outdoor run with regularly renewed straw bedding and the supply of roughage.
Thünen-Contact
Involved Thünen-Partners
Involved external Thünen-Partners
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
(Göttingen, Deutschland) -
Hochschule Anhalt
(Bernburg, Deutschland) -
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
(Gießen, Deutschland)
Funding Body
-
Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE)
(national, öffentlich)
Duration
9.2012 - 5.2020
More Information
Project funding number: 2811OE144
Funding program: Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau und andere Formen nachhaltiger Landwirtschaft (BÖLN)
Project status:
finished
Publications
- 0
Werner D, Mörlein D (2021) Die frühe Immunokastration wirkt : Impfung schon beim Ferkel eine mögliche Alternative zur Vermeidung von Ebergeruch im Fleisch. Fleischwirtsch 101(4):26-29
- 1
Werner D, Baldinger L, Bussemas R, Büttner S, Weißmann F, Ciulu M, Mörlein J, Mörlein D (2021) Early immunocastration of pigs: from farming to meat quality. Animals MDPI 11:298, DOI:10.3390/ani11020298
- 2
Büttner S, Heidbüchel KL, Höinghaus K, Baldinger L, Weißmann F, Bussemas R (2020) Fattening of entire male pigs as an alternative to piglet castration. Trenthorst: Thünen Institute of Organic Farming, 2 p, Project Brief Thünen Inst 2020/15a, DOI:10.3220/PB1590493276000
- 3
Büttner S, Heidbüchel KL, Höinghaus K, Baldinger L, Weißmann F, Bussemas R (2020) Öko-Ebermast als Alternative zur Kastration. Trenthorst: Thünen-Institut für Ökologischen Landbau, 2 p, Project Brief Thünen Inst 2020/15, DOI:10.3220/PB1590492826000
- 4
Werner D, Höinghaus K, Meier-Dinkel L, Mörlein D, Brandt H, Weißmann F, Aulrich K, Baldinger L, Bussemas R (2020) Organic fattening of entire male pigs from two sire lines under two feeding strategies : Part 2: Meat quality and boar taint. Landbauforsch J Sustainable Organic Agric Syst 70(1):75-82, DOI:10.3220/LBF1604659773000
- 5
Werner D, Höinghaus K, Brandt H, Weißmann F, Baldinger L, Bussemas R (2020) Performance of organic entire male pigs from two sire lines under two feeding strategies : Part 1: Growth performance, carcass quality, and injury prevalence. Landbauforsch J Sustainable Organic Agric Syst 70(1):67-73, DOI:10.3220/LBF1604659430000
- 6
Höinghaus K, Bussemas R, Renger A, Weißmann F (2017) Einfluss von Genotyp und Fütterung in der ökologischen Mast intakter männlicher Schweine : II: Mast- und Schlachtleistung. In: Wolfrum S, Heuwinkel H, Reents HJ, Hülsbergen KJ (eds) Ökologischen Landbau weiterdenken - Verantwortung übernehmen, Vertrauen stärken : Beiträge zur 14. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, Freising-Weihenstephan, 7. bis 10. März 2017. Berlin: Köster, pp 760-764
- 7
Heidbüchel KL, Bussemas R, Meier-Dinkel L, Mörlein D, Weißmann F (2017) Erste Ergebnisse eines Grundfuttervergleichs zur Senkung der Skatolbelastung in der ökologischen Ebermast. In: Wolfrum S, Heuwinkel H, Reents HJ, Hülsbergen KJ (eds) Ökologischen Landbau weiterdenken - Verantwortung übernehmen, Vertrauen stärken : Beiträge zur 14. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, Freising-Weihenstephan, 7. bis 10. März 2017. Berlin: Köster, pp 590-592
- 8
Meier-Dinkel A, Mörlein D, Bussemas R, Höinghaus K, Weißmann F (2015) Detektion von Ebergeruch mittels chemischer Analytik und Humansensorik bei Ebern aus ökologischer Mast. In: Häring AM, Hörning B, Hoffmann-Bahnsen R, Luley H (eds) Beiträge zur 13. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau "Am Mut hängt der Erfolg: Rückblicke und Ausblicke auf die ökologische Landbewirtschaftung". pp 528-529
- 9
Höinghaus K, Bussemas R, Renger A, Weißmann F (2015) Erste Ergebnisse zur Mastleistung, Schlachtkörper- und Fleischqualität aus einem Versuch zur ökologischen Ebermast. In: Häring AM, Hörning B, Hoffmann-Bahnsen R, Luley H (eds) Beiträge zur 13. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau "Am Mut hängt der Erfolg: Rückblicke und Ausblicke auf die ökologische Landbewirtschaftung". pp 520-523
- 10
Höinghaus K, Bussemas R, Weißmann F (2014) Fütterungsversuch zur Senkung der Skatolbelastung in der ökologischen Ebermast. KTBL Schr 504:104-111
- 11
Höinghaus K, Weißmann F (2014) Perspektiven der Ebermast. Bio Land(9):30-31
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