May 4, 2007

Dutch swine farmers to start sedated castration

Pig producers in the Netherlands said they will start sedated castration on July 1, 2007.

This development is to prove Dutch pig producers, which belong to the Dutch Organisation for Natural Pig Producers (VBV), as pioneers in animal welfare. Tests into sedated castration have been going on since July last year.

The costs of sedated castration range from 0.66 euro to 1.25 euro per young boar, depending on the farm management.

The VBV has 53 members in all of the Netherlands, representing about 90 percent of all Dutch natural pig producers. Pig farmers have been castrating 300,000 piglets annually.