Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, B-9090 Melle, Belgium.
Res Vet Sci. 2012 Jun;92(3):524-30. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.02.017. Epub 2011 Apr 13.
A group of 160 Flemish pig farmers (n=160) were surveyed about their attitude towards surgical castration with anaesthesia (SCA) and without (SCN), immunocastration (IC), sperm sexing (SS) and the production of entire males (EM). The farmers' general preference was recorded as SCN>SS>SCA=IC>EM. The farmers' self-reported knowledge of the strategies was associated with their preference for SCA (negatively) and SS (positively). Herd size was correlated with farmers' preference for SCA (negatively) and SS (positively). Farmers perceived surgical castration without anaesthesia as the most favourable strategy in terms of farm profitability, animal performance and effectiveness against boar taint, but they expected the lowest consumer acceptance for this strategy. Surgical castration with anaesthesia was ranked the least favourable in terms of labour conditions. Production of entire males was viewed as the least profitable and the least effective strategy. Sperm sexing was positively perceived, particularly in terms of labour conditions, animal welfare, effectiveness and expected consumer acceptance. The farmers' opinion was quite homogeneous, especially regarding surgical castration without anaesthesia and production of entire males. Increasing our understanding of the farmers' perceptions will hopefully facilitate communication about this intricate issue.
160 名佛兰芒养猪户（n=160）接受了一项调查，内容是他们对麻醉（SCA）和非麻醉（SCN）手术去势、免疫去势（IC）、精子性别鉴定（SS）和生产公猪（EM）的态度。农民的总体偏好记录为 SCN>SCA>SS>IC>EM。农民对这些策略的自我报告知识与其对 SCA（负面）和 SS（正面）的偏好相关。农场规模与农民对 SCA（负面）和 SS（正面）的偏好相关。在盈利能力、动物性能和对猪腥味的有效性方面，农民认为非麻醉手术去势是最有利的策略，但他们预计这种策略的消费者接受度最低。麻醉手术去势在劳动条件方面排名最差。生产公猪被认为是最不盈利和最无效的策略。精子性别鉴定受到了积极的评价，特别是在劳动条件、动物福利、有效性和预期的消费者接受度方面。农民的意见相当一致，特别是在非麻醉手术去势和生产公猪方面。增加我们对农民认知的理解，有望促进就这一复杂问题进行沟通。
