Castration with Anaesthetic Accepted in Norway
NORWAY - A recent survey has revealed that consumers accept the need for castration and accept the procedure when it is carried out with anaesthetic. They were sceptical about immunocastration.B. Fredriksen and colleagues at Animalia in Oslo have published a paper on consumer attitudes towards castration of piglets and alternatives to surgical castration.
From three in-depth focus group studies and an internet based study concerning consumers attitudes towards surgical castration of piglets and alternatives, they conclude that Norwegian consumers are content with the current practice of castration using local anaesthesia. They accept castration as a necessary means to prevent the risk of boar taint in meat and thereby secure meat quality.
Even though castration using anaesthesia is not a perfect solution, it is considered sufficient, and the consumers do not ask for alternatives. Most consumers were sceptical of immunocastration. The scepticism was mainly based on the fear of residuals in meat and unknown long-term consequences for the consumers.
On the other hand, they expressed confidence in the Norwegian control authorities, and added that they would probably continue their purchasing habits, even if immunocastration were to be introduced in Norwegian pig production.
Consumers described castration without anaesthesia as completely unacceptable, added Fredriksen and colleagues.
Reference
Fredriksen B., A.M.S. Johnsen and E. Skuteruda. 2010. Consumer attitudes towards castration of piglets and alternatives to surgical castration. Research in Veterinary Science (article in press; corrected proof). doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2010.06.018
Further Reading
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