SWITZERLAND-
Earlier plans to also allow immunocastration in Switzerland - not an EU member - by use of the product Improvac, Pfizer, have therefore been withdrawn.
ProSchwein
Several years ago, a special commission called ProSchwein was installed in Switzerland, containing representatives from all relevant parties in society, to find a forward-looking solution to the problems created by male piglet castration without anaesthetics. Several different solutions have been looked at.
The majority of the union of pig producers – producers, vets and consumers favoured having both anaesthesia and immunocastration options available. The vast majority of retailers, however, continued to be hesitant – hence the choice to focus on anaesthesia. Only the green supermarket chain Coop Naturafarm has accepted to sell meat from immunocastrated pigs.
Isoflurane
The Swiss industry will now focus on anaesthesia before castration, using isoflurane.
Using anasesthetics is still considered to be a temporal solution. All parties involved would like to create a proper plan for the future. A date of January 1, 2010, was named as date for the start of castration using anaesthesia, but this is considered to be very ambitious.
Immunocastration
The principle of immunocastration, through a double vaccine injection, allows male piglets to grow mature without physical castration. The male pig however does not develop large testicles, hence the development of boar taint is not encouraged.
The introduction of the vaccine in Switzerland was intended to be the first step of the launch of the product in all of Europe. The vaccine has already been introduced in quite a number of countries around the globe, in e.g. Brazil, South Africa, Australia and Mexico.
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