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The Economic Impact of German Pig Carcass Pricing Systems and Risk Scenarios for Boar Taint on the Profitability of Pork Production with Immunocastrates and Boars

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  • Kevin Kress

    (Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Mandes Verhaagh

    (Thünen Institute of Farm Economics, Bundesallee 63, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany)

Abstract

From 2021 onwards, surgical castration of male piglets without pain relief will be banned in Germany. In Europe, stakeholders have committed themselves to end piglet castration from 2018 onwards. Alternatives to surgical castration are pork production with boars or immunocastrates. The competitiveness of these production systems is required to increase their market acceptance. The aim of this study was to test the profitability of pork production with boars and immunocastrates under different carcass pricing systems and penalty systems linked to boar taint. The calculations were based on the performance parameters of 36 animals ( n = 12 immunocastrates, n = 12 boars, n = 12 barrows) from an experimental study. In order to analyze the economic effects of both alternatives under different regional German production systems, the performance data were set in relation to the data of agri benchmark. Both boars and immunocastrates performed economically worse than barrows in all the scenarios tested. If immunocastrates are sold according to the boar pricing system, the profitability of this technique is even lower, but still more profitable than boar fattening. Pork production with boars is the most unprofitable alternative in this study and will be further devalued if a penalty system linked to boar taint will be introduced.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Kress & Mandes Verhaagh, 2019. "The Economic Impact of German Pig Carcass Pricing Systems and Risk Scenarios for Boar Taint on the Profitability of Pork Production with Immunocastrates and Boars," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:9:y:2019:i:9:p:204-:d:268252
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Verhaagh, Mandes & Deblitz, Claus, 2019. "Wirtschaftlichkeit der Alternativen zur betäubungslosen Ferkelkastration - Aktualisierung und Erweiterung der betriebswirtschaftlichen Berechnungen," Thünen Working Papers 110, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    2. Verhaagh, Mandes & Deblitz, Claus, 2016. "Betriebswirtschaftliche Auswirkungen von Alternativen zur betäubungslosen Ferkelkastration in Deutschland," Thünen Working Papers 64, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    3. Verhaagh, Mandes & Deblitz, Claus, 2016. "Betriebswirtschaftliche Auswirkungen von Alternativen zur betäubungslosen Ferkelkastration in Deutschland," Thünen Working Paper 250276, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    4. Verhaagh, Mandes & Deblitz, Claus, 2019. "Wirtschaftlichkeit der Alternativen zur betäubungslo-sen Ferkelkastration – Aktualisierung und Erweite-rung der betriebswirtschaftlichen Berechnungen," Thünen Working Paper 287200, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
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    Cited by:

    1. Inken Christoph-Schulz & Anja-Karolina Rovers, 2020. "German Citizens’ Perception of Fattening Pig Husbandry—Evidence from a Mixed Methods Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Zamani, Omid & Chibanda, Craig & Pelikan, Janine, 2021. "Investigating Alternative Poultry Trade Policies in the Context of African Countries: Evidence from Ghana," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315173, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Chibanda, Craig & Almadani, Mohamad Isam & Thobe, Petra & Wieck, Christine, 2022. "Broiler production systems in Ghana: economics and the impact of frozen chicken imports," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 25(4), September.
    4. Omid Zamani & Craig Chibanda & Janine Pelikan, 2023. "Unraveling the effects of import bans on domestic poultry production: a case study of Senegal," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-25, December.
    5. Silvana Pietrosemoli & Clara Tang, 2020. "Animal Welfare and Production Challenges Associated with Pasture Pig Systems: A Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-34, June.
    6. Craig Chibanda & Katrin Agethen & Claus Deblitz & Yelto Zimmer & Mohamad. I. Almadani & Hildegard Garming & Christa Rohlmann & Johan Schütte & Petra Thobe & Mandes Verhaagh & Lena Behrendt & Daniel.T., 2020. "The Typical Farm Approach and Its Application by the Agri Benchmark Network," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-24, December.

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