Longitudinal Study: Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome in Suckling and Weaned Piglets Is Associated with Tail Length and Integrity in Slaughter Pigs

Sep 30, 2026

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Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome (SINS) is a highly prevalent endogenous condition that undermines tissue integrity and animal welfare across pig life stages. Evidence suggests early-life SINS lesions may later predispose pigs to tail damage, yet longitudinal data are limited. This longitudinal study followed 352 piglets from two Italian farms producing Parma ham from the suckling phase to slaughter, linking SINS-related early signs with subsequent tail integrity during fattening and at slaughter. Mild early signs were notable: weaner-phase affected pigs showed a 3.5-fold higher risk of short tails and SINS history increased the probability of reduced tail length from 33.5% to 65.8%. Early-life SINS also significantly correlated with impaired tail integrity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages22

Reading Time55 min

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Article Longitudinal Study: Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome in Suckling and Weaned Piglets Is Associated with Tail Length and Integrity in Slaughter Pigs Karien Koenders-van Gog 1, Thomas Wijnands 1, Mirjam Lechner 2 and Gerald Reiner 3, * Academic Editor: Emma Fàbrega i Romans Received: 2 December 2025 Revised: 20 December 2025 Accepted: 22 December 2025 Published: 24 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 Lintjeshof Veterinary Practice, LH Vet Group, 6031 RK Nederweert, The Netherlands; [k.koenders@lintjeshof.com](k.koenders@lintjeshof.com) (K.K.-v.G.); [t.wijnands@lintjeshof.com](t.wijnands@lintjeshof.com) (T.W.) 2 UEG Hohenlohe, 91567 Herrieden, Germany; mirjam.lechner@web.de 3 Clinic for Swine—Herd Health Management and Molecular Diagnostics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany * Correspondence: gerald.reiner@vetmed.uni-giessen.de; Tel.: +49-641-99-38821 Simple Summary Tail biting is a highly relevant welfare problem in pigs with undocked tails. This is the first longitudinal study that investigates the correlation between SINS (Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome) in early life of pigs (suckling piglets and weaned piglets)—and the tail length and tail integrity at the time of fattening and slaughter. In this case, tail biting occurred mainly at the end of the piglet rearing period and at the commencement of the finishing phase, resulting in a reduction in tail length and integrity which was measured atthe time of slaughter. The study found a correlation between both SINS in early life and tail lesions later in life, and also with tail length and integrity at the time of slaughter. Several factors that predispose pigs for SINS are known, such as genetics and several housing, feeding and management factors. As this study found a correlation between SINS in early life and later tail issues, this raises the opportunity for prevention and early intervention, to reduce the chances of later welfare issues and therefore improving pig welfare. Abstract Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome (SINS) is a highly prevalent, predominantly endogenous condition that compromises tissue integrity and animal welfare across different life stages in pigs. Increasing evidence suggests that early-life SINS lesions may predispose pigs to tail damage later in life; however, longitudinal data remain scarce. This study investigated the association between SINS-related clinical signs in suckling piglets and weaners and subsequent tail integrity during fattening and at slaughter. In a longitudinal study, 352 piglets from two Italian farms producing Parma ham were followed from the suckling phase to slaughter. Although SINS signs were generally mild, pigs affected during the weaner phase showed a 3.5-fold increased risk of developing short tails during fattening. Furthermore, the probability of reduced tail length at slaughter increased from 33.5% to 65.8% in pigs with a history of SINS. Early-life SINS was significantly associated with impaired tail integrity both at the onset of fattening and at slaughter. These new findings highlight endogenous inflammation and necrosis in early life as important yet underrecognized welfare risk factors and suggest that SINS can be utilised as a point of care and early preventive strategies may substantially improve tail integrity and welfare outcomes at slaughter. Keywords: animal welfare; tail damage; tail biting 1. Introduction Tail lesions represent a major welfare and economic concern in pig production, particularly in the European Union where routine tail docking as a preventive measure is prohibited (Council Directive 2008/120/EC [1]) . Affected pigs may experience pain and stress, and tail injuries are associated with reduced performance, compromised carc

FAQs

What does this longitudinal study examine regarding SINS and tail outcomes?

It examines whether SINS-related clinical signs in suckling piglets and weaners are associated with later tail length and tail integrity during fattening and at slaughter.

How many piglets were followed, and from which farms?

The study followed 352 piglets from two Italian farms producing Parma ham from the suckling phase to slaughter.

What were the key findings about tail length risk for pigs with SINS history?

Pigs affected during the weaner phase had a 3.5-fold increased risk of developing short tails during fattening, and the probability of reduced tail length at slaughter increased from 33.5% to 65.8% in pigs with a history of SINS.

Sep 30, 2026

Upload by Liam