140. Castration is a mutilation which should be avoided wherever possible. However, nowadays, very few pigs in the UK are castrated compared with 25 years ago, when the industry castrated nearly all male pigs principally to avoid meat quality problems and to fulfil subsidy requirements. The industry is now able to produce good quality pigmeat, without castration, using improved techniques developed over the years which enable pigs to be slaughtered before reaching sexual maturity and, therefore, largely avoiding the possibility of the carcase being affected by "boar taint" or other perceived meat quality problems.
141. We saw no evidence of castration during our visits and we do not believe it is practised much, if at all, by the outdoor pig industry. Should market trends change and demand older pigs at higher slaughter weights, there may be a risk of the re-introduction of castration to avoid boar taint. If that occurs, it will be necessary for us to re-assess the situation as we are opposed to the re-introduction of this operation.