- Martin Dittmar, Impulsbetrieb Tierwohl
- Prof. Dr. Isabell Henning-Pauka, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover
- Prof. Dr. Johannes Kauffold, University of Leipzig
- Dr. Sandra Löbert, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture
- Jochen Meyer, Impulsbetrieb Tierwohl
- Dr. Hendrik Niehoff, LUFA North-West
- Prof. Dr. Imke Traulsen, University of Kiel
- Dr. Maren Gerlach, Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Imke Albers, Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Marie Lamoth, Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia
The castration of male suckling piglets without anaesthesia has been banned in Germany since the beginning of 2021. Since then, German pig farmers have had to decide whether they want to fatten intact boars, vaccinate the male animals against the development of sex-specific odour components or perform surgical castration under anaesthesia. Two procedures meet the requirements for carrying out the painful procedure under anaesthetic: Firstly, the farm vet can anaesthetise the suckling piglets by injection. Secondly, inhalation anaesthesia with isoflurane is an option that the farmer can carry out himself if he has the appropriate expertise.
Problems can occur even if isoflurane anaesthesia is carried out correctly, e.g. if technical faults lead to an incorrect dose of isoflurane. If the piglet stops breathing on its own or shows circulatory problems such as discolouration of the skin, every second counts! Rapid removal from the anaesthetic mask and quickly initiated resuscitation measures can then save lives!
In order to provide the farmer with an aid for action in such cases, the Animal Welfare Competence Centre for Pigs in the Focus on Animal Welfare network has produced a barn poster on first aid measures for suckling piglets in cooperation with the "Isoflurane Anaesthesia Competence Centre" project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
If isoflurane anaesthesia is not carried out optimally, the free advice and support offered by the Isoflurane Anaesthesia Competence Centre should always be consulted. The free advice centre is run by the LMU Munich and the pig health services of the NRW Chamber of Agriculture and the LUFA North-West.