Tail biting in pigs has a variety of causes facing one of the biggest animal welfare problems in livestock farming. Tail injuries caused by biting activities continue to worsen Animal welfare. In addition to the suffering of the animals affected, there is also the emotional impact on the animal owner and the economic losses. The most widely used measure to prevent tail biting In pigs, the tip of the tail of piglets under four days old is docked. However, in the European Union (EU) docking of pig tail have been banned since 1991. The majority of conventionally raised piglets undergo tail docking (EU Audit Report, 2018). Since July 2019, all agricultural businesses in Germany have been obligated to demonstrate the necessity of keeping pigs with docked tails by presenting the National Action Plan for Tail Docking Abstinence. Tailored solutions for reducing tail biting incidents are to be developed, gradually increasing the number of animals with intact tails on farms.

The aim of the planned project is to develop a native dashboard in the form of a web application that can serve as an early warning system for tail biting in agricultural practice, based on known leading indicators at the pen level. With the assistance of this early warning system, farmers can be alerted to an increased risk of tail biting in their animals and respond with appropriate countermeasures.

01.01.2024 - 31.12.2026

• Prof. Dr. Jorge Marx Gómez
• Khurram Shehzad