Sedated castration: €0.012/kg cost rise
According to Dutch scientists, the costs for sedated castration of male piglets in the Netherlands will be about €0.012 per kilogramme.
The costs for the anaesthetic lidocaine are €0.25 for a litter with five male piglets. This was found out by Wageningen University’s Animal Science Group at the practical research centre in Raalte and at six organic test farms.
Should the vet only come for sedating the piglets, then this would mean a vet visit would cost €1.02 per male piglet; or €5.10 for a five-boar-litter.
Supermarkets
Last week, the Dutch supermarkets announced that as of January 2008, they will only sell pork that was produced in farms where male piglets receive anaesthetics prior to castration.
In the Netherlands, the discussion on the unsedated castration of piglets has been put on the agenda by the Party for the Animals, which has two seats in Parliament.
Related websites:
• Anmial Sciences Group
• Wageningen University & Research Center
• Party for the Animals
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