1. Pig castration in France: more animal welfare friendly practices
Patrick Chevillon
IFIP, The French Pig and Pork Institute

2. A Recent evolution In France
Before 2000: castration of all piglets in France (the market need fat and no risk boar tainted meat)
Directive 2000/120/CE: before 7 days of life
2004 EFSA opinion: pain is an evidence
: participation of IFIP and INRA to 2 EU research programs PIGCAS and ALCASDE
2008 to 2011: Pig producers ask IFIP and INRA to work on analgesia after and anaesthesia before castration
Since 1 January 2012, all the piglets in France receive at minimum an analgesia after castration. Producers use MELOXICAM.

3. THE NEXT STEP: ENTIRE MALE?? Can we stay alone?
 declaration of Brussels signed by the major organisations of producers in EUROPE COUNTRIES WHO STARTED
Netherland : anaesthesia CO2 + Entire male production: 45% of pig farmers of Vion (end of 2012) 100 % in 2015
Germany : QS requires analgesia (Meloxicam) since 2009 (IFIP estimation of 10 % of Entire Males)
Tonniës : entire males /week (June2011) + Westfleisch : entire males /week (end of 2011).
Possibility to slaughter entire males since 1/07/2012) in QS program
UK: non castration (100 %, younger entire males)
Spain : 60 % of entire males and 80 % in Catalonia (younger pigs)
Norway anaesthesia lidocaïne by a vet
Denmark : analgesia + entire males : 10 %
Belgium: imunocastration Improvac % + entire males (June 2013 new step)
Italy : BIG ISSUE with HEAVY PIGS
France: The Leader Cooperative COOPERL started a significant production of entire males in 2013
+ collective initiatives at a research stage are started

4. Key ISSUES: Reduction of occurrence of boar tainted meat and Detection at the abattoir
Unpleasant odours and flavours
Need heating to be perceived
Borne by fat
Only in a fraction of the animals
Not everyone is sensitive
Product dependent
Animal dependent
Consumer dependent
Boar taint is mostly a problem for
Fresh meat which is cooked at home
High fat products that are cooked at home

5. What is Boar taint ? FEEDING FACTORS GENETIC FACTORS
Two main compounds in fat tissue held as responsible for boar taint by consumer (off-odour)
Skatole Androstenone
(manure odour) (urine odour)
Perceived unpleasant
Perceived pleasant
Not perceived
Perceived unpleasant
FEEDING FACTORS
GENETIC FACTORS

6. Example of the COOPERL TRIAL (2 years)

7. The key sucess and results, example COOPERL

8. The key sucess and results, example COOPERL

9. Another key issue: the detection of positives carcasses at abattoir
Currently a new French program to test HUMAN NOSE methods funded by INAPORC
 2 abattoirs involved
 15 assessors assess odour
 2300 carcasses in test with
chemical analysis of skatole an
androstenone in fat (60 €/analysis)
Objectives: validate or not the Human nose method in French slaughterhouses. Final Results expected in JUNE 2013
IFIP participates in the new EU RESEARCH PROJECT « BOARCHECK » to find the best methods to sort boar tainted meat

10. French consumers can eat entire male fresh pork sorted on odour (IFIP RESULTS 1)
Entire male pork with very low levels of androstenone and skatole is as well accepted as gilt pork  there is no need to look for other compounds
No difference

11. French consumers eating entire male fresh pork (IFIP RESULTS 2 )
In the absence of skatole, the acceptability threshold for androstenone is likely higher than 2.0 µg / g liquid fat
This conclusion may not be valid for cooking odour
Further investigations are needed regarding interactions between the perceptions of androstenone and skatole
No difference

12. Recent results from the literature suggest that skatole acceptance level might be in the range of 0.10 μg/g or lower (instead of the usually accepted 0.20 – 0.25 μg/g)
NEW EU RESEARCH PROJECT “CAMPIG” STARTED in to investigate the interaction Skatole/ Androstenone for consumer acceptance

13. Utilisation of tainted meat in processed products: French results
Proportion of tainted fat in the product
Low fat products are more favourable
Dilution by untainted meat
Serving temperature
Products that are consumed cold are more favourable
Masking
Spices, smoking, ….
Reduce fat
Mask
Dilute
Consume cold

14. Use of Tainted meat in processed products
Low-risk products

15. Use of Tainted meat in processed products
Higher risk products

16. French IFIP experience on the use of tainted meat in processed products
Andros Ska tenone tole
Sausage with spices < 0.20
Smoked lardons < 0.20
Served warm
Processed loin < 0.20
Dry sausage < 0.20
Cooked ham < 0.20
Served cold

17. Odour when opening the bag
French IFIP experience on the use of tainted meat in processed products
Overall Odour Flavour Consume
rating again
Sausage with spices NS NS NS NS
Smoked lardons NS NS NS NS
Served warm
Processed loin NS NS NS NS
Dry sausage NS NS NS NS
Cooked ham NS * NS NS
Served cold
Odour when opening the bag

18. Traditionnal TOULOUSE Sausage
Sausage with limited spices (salt & pepper)
Batches of boar meat with androstenone levels 0.5, 1 and 2 μg/g of fat
and low skatole levels
were compared with gilt meat
Reduced acceptance on odour and flavour with androstenone levels as low as 0.5 μg/g of pure fat

19. French experience on the use of tainted meat in processed products
Good opportunities for using meat with high levels of androstenone in the absence of high skatole
Undiluted products with high fat content which are served warm are however risky
The possibility to use meat tainted with skatole remains to be investigated
The limited available literature suggests that there are opportunities, especially with smoke
We need to continue studies in Europe ....

20. Conclusion
Stopping castration is not so easy and it’s not a real demand of the market in France (Fresh meat in Butchery or Supermarkets) or the Processing Meat Industry.
There are important challenges to solve before stopping castration and the stakeholders need to go step by step. The COOPERL example show that it’s takes 2 years of trial before decision to go on with a specific guideline at the farm level.
Reliable detection at abattoir is the main issue at present and requires to federate all the efforts of the private and collective researches in EUROPE. It’s the key success to stop castration.
The acceptance limits for skatole and androstenone in fat of entire males need to be finalised depending of the final product.
Some traditional products need fat and good fat (e.g. dry ham in France, Spain, Italy). So stopping castration for all the production would be very difficult. More research on friendly practices around castration need to be performed (appropriate practices for analgesia and anaesthesia).

21. Thank you for your attention