Abstract

Pain alleviation associated with castration of piglets is a debated welfare issue. This study compares practical aspects, resource efficiency and economic implications of two protocols involving both analgesia and anaesthesia compared to a control group: conventional castration without pain relief (CTRL); joint administration of azaperone and meloxicam (AZA-MEL), i.m.; procaine (PROC-MEL), s.c., and meloxicam, i.m. A total number of 356 male piglets (56 L), was involved. Labour, mortality during the lactation period and costs for procedures were analysed. The total amount of labour required for each single male piglet and the risk of recording at least one dead piglet during lactation in litters were significantly higher in AZA-MEL and PROC-MEL groups than in CTRL group (labour: 02:04 and 02:04 vs. 01:18 min, respectively, p < .001; mortality risk: (RR = 1.48; CI 95% = 1.02 − 2.16; p = .029). The cost estimated for the castration of each male piglet in CRTL group was 0.32 €, whereas was 3.14 € for AZA-MEL group and 3.30 € for PROC-MEL group. The results suggest that adopting analgesia and anaesthesia showed notable cost increases for farmers. This might be expected and justifiable when the management is improved to reach a higher standard quality, such as in the case of welfare-friendly surgical castration, but might be questionable when also considering the result of increased piglet mortality in the lactation period.

• HIGHLIGHTS

• To use meloxicam + azaperone or + procaine on farm during piglets castration, increases labour of workers by 76.8 and 56.5%, respectively.

• At the same time, also piglets mortality risk increases by 48% during lactation.

• Total costs for each male piglet castrated with meloxicam + azaperone or + procaine increased by 3.14 and 3.30 €, respectively.

摘要

与仔猪去势相关的疼痛缓解是一个有争议的福利问题。这项研究比较了与对照组相比涉及镇痛和麻醉的两种方案的实用性，资源效率和经济意义。azaperone和meloxicam（AZA-MEL）的联合给药，即时；普鲁卡因（PROC-MEL），皮下注射和美洛昔康（imloxicam）的使用总共涉及356只雄性仔猪（56 L）。分析了人工，哺乳期的死亡率和手术费用。与CTRL组相比，AZA-MEL和PROC-MEL组的每只雄性仔猪所需的总劳动量以及泌乳期间记录至少一只死亡仔猪的风险显着高于CTRL组（人工：02：04和02： 04与分别为01:18分钟，p  <.001；死亡风险：（RR = 1.48； CI 95％ = 1.02-2.16 ；p = .029）。CRTL组每头雄性猪的去势成本估计为0.32欧元，而AZA-MEL组为3.14欧元，PROC-MEL组为3.30欧元。结果表明，采用镇痛和麻醉对农民而言显着增加了成本。当改善管理以达到更高的标准质量时，这是可以预期的和合理的，例如在福利友好型手术去势的情况下，但是当考虑到哺乳期仔猪死亡率增加的结果时，这可能是有问题的。

• 强调

• 在仔猪去势期间在农场使用美洛昔康+阿扎哌隆或+普鲁卡因，分别使工人的劳动增加了76.8和56.5％。

• 同时，哺乳期间仔猪的死亡风险也增加了48％。

• 用美洛昔康+氮杂哌酮或普鲁卡因cast割的每头雄性仔猪的总成本分别增加了3.14欧元和3.30欧元。