Nettex study looks at prevention of tail biting
Providing pigs with a new feed block and using an innovative tail spray have shown significant reductions in tail biting behaviour whilst helping to improve pig health, according to Staffordshire specialists.
Studies carried out by animal nutrition specialist Nettex have, they say, shown piglets that were given its new CalmBlock enrichment product were 12 percent less likely to tail bite.
“In a farm study, we split 12 pens with an average of 40 pigs per pen," said pig welfare and nutrition consultant, Dr Phil Baynes.
"Half were given CalmBlock and the other half acted as a control. The number of biting pigs that had to be removed was 3 per pen with CalmBlock, whilst the control was more than double with 7 per pen having to be removed.”
