SuSI - Sustainability in Pig Production with Immunocastration
SuSI Factsheet ( https://era-susan.eu/sites/default/files/Factsheet_SUSI_version_011018.pdf)
European pig production faces a big challenge in the near future as stakeholders voluntarily agreed to end surgical castration (SC) without anaesthesia and pain relief after 2018. Despite public disapproval in several EU countries, the majority of male piglets are still surgically castrated (SC). An alternative is raising entire males (EM), but this results in meat quality and welfare problems. Another alternative is immunocastration (IC), but wide application of this technique is hampered by technological issues and social acceptability.
Thus, the aim is to critically evaluate and optimize pork production with IC as an environmental, economic and socially sustainable alternative to systems with SC or EM. This goal will be addressed by a multidisciplinary consortium of 8 partners with wide expertise covering the overall pork supply chain.
Publications (peer-reviewed)
Kress K., Verhaagh M. 2019 The Economic Impact of German Pig Carcass Pricing Systems and Risk Scenarios for Boar Taint on the Profitability of Pork Production with Immunocastrates and Boars. Agriculture, 9, 204; www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/9/9/204
Kress K., Millet S., Labussiere E., Weiler U., Stefanski V. 2019 Sustainability of Pork Production with Immunocastration in Europe. Sustainability 11, 3335; www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/12/3335
Čandek-Potokar M., Prevolnik-Povše M., Škrlep M., Font-i-Furnols M., Batorek-Lukac N., Kress K., Stefanski V. 2019. Acceptability of Dry-Cured Belly (Pancetta) from Entire Males, Immunocastrates or Surgical Castrates: Study with Slovenian Consumers. Foods 8, 22, www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/8/4/122
Kress K., Weiler U., Schmucker S., Čandek-Potokar M., Vrecl M., Fazarinc G., Škrlep M., Batorek-Lukač N., Stefanski V. 2020 Influence of Housing Conditions on Reliability of Immunocastration and Consequences for Growth Performance of Male Pigs. Animals, 10, 27; www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/1/27
Škrlep, M., Poklukar K., Kress K., Vrecl M., Fazarinc G., Batorek-Lukač N., Weiler U., Stefanski V., Čandek-Potokar M. 2020. Effect of immunocastration and housing conditions on pig carcass and meat quality traits. Translational Animal Science, 4(2), txaa055, academic.oup.com/tas/article/4/2/1224/5831401
Čandek-Potokar M., Škrlep M., Kostyra E., Żakowska-Biemans S., Poklukar K., Batorek-Lukač N., Kress K., Weiler U., Stefanski V. 2020. Quality of Dry-Cured Ham from Entire, Surgically and Immunocastrated Males: Case Study on Kraški Pršut. Animals 2020, 10, 239; doi.org/10.3390/foods8040122
Poklukar K., Čandek-Potokar M., Vrecl M., Batorek-Lukač N., Fazarinc G., Kress K., Weiler U., Stefanski V., Škrlep M. 2020 The effect of immunocastration on adipose tissue deposition and composition in pigs. Animal 100118; www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731120301208
