Since 1 January 2021, the castration of piglets without anaesthesia has been prohibited under the Animal Welfare Act. 

Both non-surgical and surgical procedures are available as alternatives to piglet castration without anaesthesia. In boar taming and immunocastration, no surgical intervention is performed on the piglet. If male piglets are to continue to be surgically castrated, the anaesthesia required for this can be achieved either by injection anaesthesia or inhalation anaesthesia with isoflurane. It should be noted that only a vet is permitted to administer injection anaesthesia. Once the farmer has obtained the relevant expertise, they are authorised to administer inhalation anaesthesia themselves. 

Training in the administration of inhalation anaesthesia

To enable farmers to use isoflurane for piglet castration, the requirement for veterinary supervision was lifted via the Piglet Anaesthesia Competence Regulation (FerkBetSachkV). To acquire this competence, three consecutive modules must be successfully completed:

1. A 12-hour theoretical course, including a written examination, covering the following content
   • Legal principles
   • Anatomy of the male reproductive organs
   • Physiology of the cardiovascular system
   • Anaesthesia suitability of piglets
   • Anaesthesia and pain
   • Administration of isoflurane anaesthesia in piglets, including a demonstration
   • Recognising and managing anaesthetic complications
   • Handling of veterinary medicines
   • Hygiene management and disinfection
   • Anaesthesia equipment
2. Practical phase under the supervision of a vet
3. Practical examination

Isoflurane – refresher training

Farmers who have acquired the necessary expertise in isoflurane anaesthesia for the castration of male suckling piglets are required, under Section 6 of the Piglet Castration Expertise Regulation (FerkelBetSachkV), to attend a refresher course within three years of the initial issue of the certificate of competence.

To renew the certificate, farmers must attend a course lasting at least two hours, for which they will receive a certificate of attendance. Proof of attendance must be provided to the competent authority upon request.

Important: In addition to the theoretical training, the farm veterinarian must also assess the practical skills in handling the equipment within three years.

Certified anaesthesia equipment

Under the Piglet Anaesthesia Competence Regulation, the isoflurane anaesthesia equipment used must meet certain requirements (Section 5 of the Regulation). As a prerequisite for funding for an isoflurane anaesthesia machine from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), certification must be in place regarding aspects of animal welfare, user safety and environmental protection. Five machines in a total of seven variants have so far been certified by the DLG (German Agricultural Society).

Test reports on isoflurane anaesthesia units

User safety

User safety in particular should be a top priority when using isoflurane and isoflurane anaesthesia units. The Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture provides detailed information on this subject on its website. In addition to general information on occupational safety, the site also offers sample operating instructions in various languages, a checklist for use on the farm, and guidance on storage conditions and the disposal of isoflurane, all available for free download.

Sample operating instructions for piglet castration

An overview of DLG-certified equipment is provided by videos produced by the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture in collaboration with the manufacturers and funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Overview of DLG-certified anaesthesia equipment