MagPhyt can mitigate the occurrence of tail biting, consequently producing a positive effect on animal welfare. Applicable results were presented by Professor Klaus Eder and Dr Denise Gessner at Justus Liebig University Giessen.
Tail biting—a major problem
Tail biting is a serious threat to animal welfare and a huge challenge for farmers. Various types of stress trigger this major problem in pig farming.
What improvements can be achieved with the soothing feed additive MagPhyt? This was investigated by a Justus Liebig University Giessen research group in a study with undocked piglets carried out at the Oberer Hardthof teaching and research institute.
MagPhyt can help
The score results confirm the positive effect of MagPhyt achieved with dosages of 2 kg/t and 5 kg/t. The lower rank sums show that tail injuries were reduced (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Rank sums for tail injuries, according to Abriel (2017)
The effect of MagPhyt on partial loss of the tail from the 2nd week onwards (Figure 2) was even more obvious. MagPhyt achieved significantly lower rank sums and thus better results in all weeks.
Figure 2: Rank sums for partial loss of the tail, according to Abriel (2017)
MagPhyt = improved animal welfare
The results confirm that MagPhyt can reduce the effects of tail biting and thus contribute to improved animal welfare. The secret of its success lies in its direct soothing and stress-reducing effects on the animals. This results in less tail biting and fewer tail injuries, and consequently enhances the animals’ well-being and reduces stress in the barn. All of which are significant advantages for the farmer as well.