Today, all the research results of the ‘Boars Heading for 2018’ programme have been published. The programme is an initiative by the Dutch pork production chain represented in the Stop Castration steering committee. The report compiles 50 individual studies from a research programme that was carried out over a five-year period (2009-2013) in the Netherlands.
The Dutch pork sector’s intentions for the programme are to meet societal demand as well as simultaneously achieve more efficient production. The point of departure for this being that the quality of meat from uncastrated pigs remain guaranteed. The subject’s complexity led to a very broad, long-term approach to the research. Over the past five years, the research programme consisted of the following areas of attention:
- consumer perceptions
- economic and international developments
- detecting boar taint
- preventative measures to reduce the risk of boar taint
- farm management in relation to boar taint and boar behaviour
The five-year research programme was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Dutch Product Board for Livestock, Meat and Eggs. A full (English language) research report was presented to the Stop Castration steering committee in January 2014. For the research report and contact details click here.