Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail: characterisation of tail biting injury and consequences

DA Sandercock; Mette S Herskin; Heli S Norgren

doi:10.1163/9789004694989_004

Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail: characterisation of tail biting injury and consequences

DA Sandercock^*, Mette S Herskin, Heli S Norgren

^*Corresponding author for this work

Animal Welfare

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

This chapter describes the function of the porcine tail based on the current available literature and it provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy and physiology of the pig’s tail at both gross and microscopical levels. This chapter also includes details of the somatosensory and motor innervation necessary for the tail to respond to external stimuli such as touch and pain, and to coordinate its movement and posture for communication and expression of emotional state. In addition, this chapter discusses the different types of lesions caused by tail biting and describes the outcomes of lesions of varying severity (e.g. superficial to full thickness tissue injury and tail amputation) and their implications for pig health and welfare.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Tail Biting in Pigs
Editors	Laura Boyle, Anna Valros, Keelin O'Driscoll
Publisher	Wageningen Academic Publishers
Chapter	2
Number of pages	24
ISBN (Electronic)	9789004694989
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004694989_004
Publication status	First published - 20 Aug 2024

Keywords

Tail anatomy
Morphology
Myology
Osteology
Vasculature
Innervation
Tail lesions
Gross pathology
Histopathology
Immunohistopathology

Access to Document

10.1163/9789004694989_004

Embargoed Document

Chapter 2 - Anatomy & Physiology of the tail - Accepted version
Accepted author manuscript, 5.01 MB
Licence: CC BY-NC
Embargo ends: 20/08/26

1 Finished

FareWellDock: EU: Ending tail docking and tail biting in the EU - hazard characterisation and exposure assessment of a major pig welfare problem
Sandercock, D. (PI)
1/09/13 → 30/09/18
Project: Research

Painful management procedures must be addressed for the future of swine farming
Sandercock, D., Herskin, M. & Di Giminiani, P.
7/02/19
1 Media contribution
Press/Media

3 Article

Transcriptomics analysis of porcine caudal dorsal root ganglia in tail amputated pigs shows long-term effects on many pain-associated genes
Sandercock, D., Barnett, M., Coe, J., Downing, A., Nirmal, A., Di Giminiani, P., Edwards, S. & Freeman, T., 18 Sept 2019, (First published) In: Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 6, 27 p., 314.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
27 Citations (Scopus)

51 Downloads (Pure)
Characterization of short- and long-term mechanical sensitisation following surgical tail amputation in pigs
Di Giminiani, P., Edwards, S., Malcolm, E., Leach, M., Herskin, M. & Sandercock, D., 6 Jul 2017, (First published) In: Scientific Reports. 7, 4827.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
37 Citations (Scopus)

62 Downloads (Pure)
Histopathological characterization of tail injury and traumatic neuroma development after tail docking in piglets
Sandercock, D., Smith, S., Di Giminiani, P. & Edwards, S., Jul 2016, In: Journal of Comparative Pathology. 155, 1, p. 40 - 49 10 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
52 Citations (Scopus)

148 Downloads (Pure)

Cite this

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title = "Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail: characterisation of tail biting injury and consequences",

abstract = "This chapter describes the function of the porcine tail based on the current available literature and it provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy and physiology of the pig{\textquoteright}s tail at both gross and microscopical levels. This chapter also includes details of the somatosensory and motor innervation necessary for the tail to respond to external stimuli such as touch and pain, and to coordinate its movement and posture for communication and expression of emotional state. In addition, this chapter discusses the different types of lesions caused by tail biting and describes the outcomes of lesions of varying severity (e.g. superficial to full thickness tissue injury and tail amputation) and their implications for pig health and welfare.",

keywords = "Tail anatomy, Morphology, Myology, Osteology, Vasculature, Innervation, Tail lesions, Gross pathology, Histopathology, Immunohistopathology",

author = "DA Sandercock and Herskin, \{Mette S\} and Norgren, \{Heli S\}",

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language = "English",

editor = "Laura Boyle and Anna Valros and Keelin O'Driscoll",

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publisher = "Wageningen Academic Publishers",

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TY - CHAP

T1 - Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail: characterisation of tail biting injury and consequences

AU - Sandercock, DA

AU - Herskin, Mette S

AU - Norgren, Heli S

PY - 2024/8/20

Y1 - 2024/8/20

N2 - This chapter describes the function of the porcine tail based on the current available literature and it provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy and physiology of the pig’s tail at both gross and microscopical levels. This chapter also includes details of the somatosensory and motor innervation necessary for the tail to respond to external stimuli such as touch and pain, and to coordinate its movement and posture for communication and expression of emotional state. In addition, this chapter discusses the different types of lesions caused by tail biting and describes the outcomes of lesions of varying severity (e.g. superficial to full thickness tissue injury and tail amputation) and their implications for pig health and welfare.

AB - This chapter describes the function of the porcine tail based on the current available literature and it provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy and physiology of the pig’s tail at both gross and microscopical levels. This chapter also includes details of the somatosensory and motor innervation necessary for the tail to respond to external stimuli such as touch and pain, and to coordinate its movement and posture for communication and expression of emotional state. In addition, this chapter discusses the different types of lesions caused by tail biting and describes the outcomes of lesions of varying severity (e.g. superficial to full thickness tissue injury and tail amputation) and their implications for pig health and welfare.

KW - Tail anatomy

KW - Morphology

KW - Myology

KW - Osteology

KW - Vasculature

KW - Innervation

KW - Tail lesions

KW - Gross pathology

KW - Histopathology

KW - Immunohistopathology

U2 - 10.1163/9789004694989_004

DO - 10.1163/9789004694989_004

M3 - Chapter

BT - Tail Biting in Pigs

A2 - Boyle, Laura

A2 - Valros, Anna

A2 - O'Driscoll, Keelin

PB - Wageningen Academic Publishers

ER -

Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail: characterisation of tail biting injury and consequences

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Embargoed Document

Fingerprint

Projects

FareWellDock: EU: Ending tail docking and tail biting in the EU - hazard characterisation and exposure assessment of a major pig welfare problem

Press/Media

Painful management procedures must be addressed for the future of swine farming

Research output

Transcriptomics analysis of porcine caudal dorsal root ganglia in tail amputated pigs shows long-term effects on many pain-associated genes

Characterization of short- and long-term mechanical sensitisation following surgical tail amputation in pigs

Histopathological characterization of tail injury and traumatic neuroma development after tail docking in piglets

Cite this