Greek Pig Farmers’ Perceptions and Experiences of Tail Biting and Tail Docking

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tail biting is an abnormal behavior of pigs, posing serious welfare and economic challenges in intensive pig farming. There are no studies on the perceptions of farmers in south European countries on tail biting and tail docking. This study aims to examine the attitudes of Greek pig farmers toward tail biting and tail docking through a structured questionnaire. In case of an outbreak, the Greek farmers mainly choose to remove the victim, while 64.4% have tried at least once to raise pigs with intact tails. Chains are still the most commonly used enrichment material. Feed quality, environmental factors, and health problems are considered the most important risk factors. The study indicates that solutions for effectively reducing the need for tail docking should consider farmers’ perceptions and everyday practices. ABSTRACT: Tail biting is both an important economic and a welfare problem. The primary preventive measure, almost on a routine basis throughout Europe, remains tail docking following a risk analysis. This study aimed to get insight on the perceptions of Greek pig farmers towards tail docking, intervention measures, and risk factors of tail biting, as well as opinions on pig welfare themes. Eighty-two farmers answered a questionnaire provided online and in printed form. In the case of a tail-biting outbreak, the most important intervention measure is the removal of the bitten pig (victim), while feed quality, air movements, and stocking density were ranked as the highest risk factors (p ≤ 0.05). Chains are the most common type of enrichment by 67% followed by plastic objects by 29.5%. Almost half of the farmers reported having no tail-biting problem on their farm, while 64.4% of the respondents have already tried at least once to raise pigs with intact tails. To reduce routine tail docking, it is essential to apply specific farm-oriented solutions effectively. To succeed in this aim, it is important to consider farmers’ concerns and practices. This study is the first step in that direction.