PIGS & PROSPERITY ▶▶▶ Pain management for castration I
t is well documented that piglets experience pain as a result of cas- tration. Pain sensitivity research has documented both short- and long-term changes to the piglet’s physiology, performance and be- havioural response. To manage this pain, local anaesthetics and an- algesics such as NSAIDs have been identified in research as an effective means to mitigate post-procedural pain. Although data is not preva- lent in the US swine industry, on-farm experience suggests that admin- istration of pain management protocols specific to castration is mini- mal. In addition, the US maintains no state or federal legislation requiring that pain relief be provided to piglets at castration, and no drugs are currently approved for pain relief in pigs. Although these challenges exist, US veterinarians do have options to provide pain relief by administering drugs in an extra-label manner. Veterinarians are often viewed by the public as animal welfare stewards, particularly in regards to alleviating pain and suffering. Given this, we are interested in identifying what factors influence swine veterinarian decision- making in regards to pain management for piglet castration. To accomplish this, swine veterinarians were recruited to participate in one of three focus groups at the American Association of Swine Veteri- narians annual meeting. Demographic information was collected prior to the start of focus group discussion about gender, age, race, current role, the number of years engaged in the swine industry and total sow inventory under direct oversight. Discussions were prompted using six predetermined base questions and eight predetermined follow-up questions. The results from this study identified three factors influenc- ing pain management use: the lack of approved pain-relieving prod- ucts that have been validated for efficacy, economic limitations and challenges associated with administering analgesic drugs to pigs and deficient guidelines and training for veterinarians to develop pain management protocols. In conclusion, veterinarians view managing pain specific to cas- tration as important in safeguarding animal welfare. However, the lack of an approved product for controlling piglet pain, coupled with economic challenges and insufficient science- based guidelines, makes it challenging for swine veterinarians to advocate for and develop pain management protocols for castration on US swine farms. Validation of physiological and behavioural endpoints to quantify pain is the first step need- ed to obtain FDA approval for a drug specific for pain relief in piglets. In addition, development and access to science- based guidelines that veterinarians can use to develop pain management protocols is needed to ensure pain associated with castration can be successfully managed and mitigated.
Monique Pairis-Garcia Before joining North Carolina State University in 2019, Dr Monique Pairis-Garcia received her Doctor of Veterinary Medi- cine and Doctor of Philosophy degree from Iowa State University with a focus in swine welfare and health. Her research interests include pain manage- ment in live- stock animals.
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▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 10, 2020
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