On the Road to End Pig Pain: Knowledge and Attitudes of Brazilian Citizens Regarding Castration

SIMPLE SUMMARY: We conducted two surveys to explore the attitudes of Brazilians (n = 1209) towards different piglet castration methods (surgical castration without or with pain control and immunocastration) and the production of entire males. Qualitative analyses indicated that moral objection towards inflicting pain and suffering to pigs was the main reason for the greater support for all the alternatives compared to surgical castration without pain control. Yet, support for all alternatives was somewhat limited by concerns with reduced meat quality, which some participants associated with boar taint or other residues in meat. Moving away from surgical castration without pain control is a necessary step for the pig industry to retain its’ social license. ABSTRACT: We explored the attitudes of Brazilians towards different methods to deal with boar taint in pork (surgical castration without pain control, SC; surgical castration with pain control, SC+PC; immunocastration, IC; raising entire males, EM). Two surveys (Sv1, n = 441 and Sv2, n = 768) containing closed and open questions were conducted. Nearly 70% of Sv1 and Sv2 participants were unaware that meat of entire males may have boar taint and that SC is widely used in pig production in Brazil. In Sv1, acceptability of SC+PC (63%) and IC (53%) was greater than of SC (15%). In Sv2, acceptability of IC (55%) and EM (52%) was greater than of SC (18%). Open-ended responses indicated that participants objected to inflicting pain to pigs to attain a production goal, and were concerned with organoleptic traits and risks of exogenous residues in pork. Participants’ views regarding the potential increases in the cost of meat due to adoption of alternative methods varied; some argued that avoiding pain justifies an increase in the price of pork and others that this would impact especially lower income citizens. Our findings indicate that participants opposed surgical castration without pain control, and supported alternative methods. However, the concern with potential risks of presence of residues in meat, expressed by a few participants, may need to be addressed among consumers.