来源：Pig Progress
Should pigs in the EU keep the end of their tails, or should tails be docked in the 1st days of the pigs’ lives to reduce risk of tail biting? The subject is widely discussed which also underlines that there is no easy answer. However, there is work in progress and so are some very promising results, writes pig welfare expert Vivi Aarestrup Moustsen.
生猪尾巴应该保留，还是在仔猪出生第一天就进行断尾，以降低咬尾风险？这个问题正在欧盟得到广泛讨论，这也意味着，没法轻松得出答案。不过，生猪福利专家Vivi Aarestrup Moustsen写道，目前一些工作正在开展中，并且获得了一些比较乐观的结果。
Recently, my colleague Helle Pelant Lahrmann, defended her PhD-thesis called, ‘Tail biting out-break in pigs – prevalence, early detection and targeted intervention’. In this Expert Opinion, I’ll outline some of the very interesting results from her study.
近来，我的同事Helle Pelant Lahrmann为她博士论文《生猪咬尾行为的突破——患病率、早期检测和针对性干预》进行答辩，我将摘取她的研究中部分非常有趣的结果，与大家分享。
A docked pig tail: A common practice to prevent tail biting. Photo: Henk Riswick
剪短的猪尾。预防猪咬尾的普遍做法
Tail biting in pigs is a major welfare challenge in modern pig production because the behaviour is unpredictable and can quickly spread within a group of pigs. To reduce tail biting, most pigs reared within the EU are tail docked. Tail docking, however, is a symptom-based treatment and does not remove the underlying causes triggering the abnormal behaviour.
在现代养猪生产中，猪咬尾是一个重大的福利挑战，因为这种行为不可预测，并且可以在猪群中迅速传播。为了减少咬尾巴，欧盟内饲养的大多数猪都经过断尾操作。然而，断尾是一种基于症状的治疗，并不能消除引发异常行为的潜在原因。
Producing pigs with intact tails
不断尾生猪生产
Nevertheless, producing pigs with intact tails in current production systems is expected to lead to a dramatic increase in tail damaged pigs without changes in management routines and production principles. Now what to do?
然而，在目前的生产系统中，在不改变管理程序和生产原则的情况下，不断尾生产有可能导致尾部受损的生猪数量大幅增加。现在该怎么办？
The PhD study included 4 steps:
该研究共分4步：
1. The PhD-study documented what happens in a typical Danish grow-finishing unit, if pigs have not been tail docked and no specific interventions are made;
2. The study addressed if there were early indicators of upcoming tail bite outbreaks and if they could be identified by the stockpersons;
3. If signs of an upcoming outbreak were observed, could the outbreak be prevented; and
4. If there was an outbreak any way, could the risk of the outbreak escalating be reduced.
1.博士研究记录了典型的丹麦生长育肥猪群中发生的情况，如果猪没有断尾，并且没有进行具体干预；
2.该研究讨论了是否有早期指标预判即将爆发的咬尾行为，以及是否可以由饲养员识别这些指标；
3.如果观察到即将爆发的疫情迹象，是否可以预防爆发；以及
4.如果以任何方式爆发，能否降低爆发的风险？
In a well-managed finishing unit, tail damage prevalence was recorded in 48 pens with a total of 962 tail docked pigs and in 47 pens with a total of 960 undocked pigs. None of the docked pigs got a tail injury, whereas 23% of the undocked pigs got a tail injury. The undocked pigs with tail injury were distributed in 68% of the pens. The tail injuries were scored at the farm.
在一个管理良好的育肥猪舍中，48个猪栏共962头断尾猪，以及47个猪栏公960头未断尾猪，记录到尾巴损伤的流行率。所有断尾猪没有出现尾巴受伤的情况，而23%的未断尾猪都有尾巴受伤。在68%的猪栏中分布有断尾猪。尾部受伤的情况在猪场里进行了评分。
Change in prevalence of hanging tails
悬尾的流行率变化
The change in prevalence of hanging tails prior to an upcoming tail biting outbreak was the target of the next study where the aim was to document if early interventions in pens with hanging tails could reduce the risk of tail biting outbreak.
在咬尾爆发之前，悬尾的流行率变化是下一项研究的目标，其目的是记录对带有垂尾的围栏进行早期干预是否可以降低咬尾爆发的风险。
In 60 pens with a total of 1,804 undocked weaner pigs, early intervention treatment was provided when the 1st tail damaged pig or tucked tail was observed from outside the pen. The prevalence of tail biting outbreaks was reduced in pens provided with straw (200 g/pen) or haylage compared to pens with no early intervention (control group).
共计1804头断奶仔猪的60只猪舍，在猪舍外观察到第1头尾巴受损或缩尾的猪时，进行早期干预治疗。与未进行早期干预的围栏（对照组）相比，配备稻草（200 g/pen）或草料的围栏中的咬尾疫情发生率有所降低。
A curly pig tail that is not docked. Photo: Ronald Hissink
未经断尾处理的卷起的猪尾。
Amounts of straw against tail biting
垫料对预防咬尾的作用
In pens, where a tail biting outbreak did occur, it was recorded if provision of a small amount of straw, rope or a ‘bite-rite’ reduced the risk of tail biting outbreaks escalating. A small amount of straw prevented an escalation in tail injuries more efficiently than ‘bite-rite’. However, even when providing a small amount of straw, tail biting continued in approximately 1 in 4 four pens.
在确实发生了咬尾事件的围栏内，记录到提供少量稻草、绳子或“咬尾仪式”是否降低了咬尾事件升级的风险。少量的稻草比“咬合仪式”更有效地防止了尾部伤害的升级。然而，即使提供少量的稻草，尾巴咬伤仍在大约四分之一的围栏中持续。
To sum up the results:
· Yes, tail biting will increase, if pigs are not docked and no interventions are made;
· However, prior to a tail biting outbreak, an increased prevalence of hanging tails can be identified from outside the pen;
· When an increase in prevalence of hanging tails are observed, the risk of a tail biting outbreak can be reduced by provision of smaller amounts of enrichment;
· If this is insufficient and a tail biting outbreak does occur, a continued provision of straw reduces the risk of the outbreak to escalate compared to a ‘bite-rite’.
总结结果：
•是的，如果猪没有断尾，也没有采取干预措施，咬尾会增加；
•然而，在咬尾爆发之前，可以从围栏外发现悬挂尾巴的流行率增加；
•当发现悬挂尾巴的流行率增加时，提供少量浓缩物可降低咬尾巴爆发的风险；
•如果这还不够的，并且确实发生了咬尾事件，继续提供稻草可降低爆发升级的风险。
And a very, very important ‘take home message’ is that it’s important to react to early indicators and tail injuries and not wait until the stage of bleeding tails. Compare it to putting out a fire – it is better to deal with the first spark than to try and put out a large bonfire.
一个非常非常重要的信息是对早期指标和尾部损伤做出应对措施，而不是等到尾部出血的阶段。假如把它比作扑灭一场大火——处理第一个火花比扑灭一场大火要容易。
（文/爱猪网记者刘坤颖编译，爱猪网原创，转载请注明出处）
