# Different Approaches to Caponisation of Cockerels and Their Relation to Welfare

## TL;DR

This study examines how different pain management methods during cockerel caponisation affect animal welfare and finds that anaesthesia is crucial for reducing pain.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the effectiveness of anaesthesia and analgesia in reducing pain during caponisation, offering a potential ethical justification for the practice.

## Key findings

- Caponisation causes significant pain, as shown by physiological responses and vocalisations.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone do not provide adequate pain relief.
- Anaesthesia significantly reduces pain and is essential for improving animal welfare during the procedure.

## Abstract

Caponisation is a surgical procedure performed in the coelomic cavity of cockerels to produce high-quality meat valued for its distinctive aroma and tenderness. In many countries, the procedure is still carried out without anaesthesia or analgesia, raising serious animal welfare concerns. These concerns have led to its prohibition in several countries. Where caponisation is permitted, it must be performed professionally and in strict accordance with animal welfare standards. Numerous studies have shown that roosters experience significant pain, reduced appetite, and behavioural changes following the surgical procedure, indicating that the procedure has substantial welfare implications. Immunocastration is considered a more humane alternative; however, its widespread use depends largely on consumer acceptance. Male chicks from layer breeds are considered a by-product of the poultry industry not only because they cannot lay eggs, but also because rearing them for meat is often considered economically unviable. For this reason, males are often culled after hatching. However, this procedure also presents an opportunity to use male chicks from layer breeds. The aim of our study is to determine whether the use of anaesthesia and analgesia can improve animal welfare and provide an ethical justification for the continued practice of surgical caponisation with adequate pain management.

The aim of this study was to improve surgical caponisation and identify stress factors associated with different pain management methods and post-operative periods. A total of 72 Prelux-G cockerels were caponised at six weeks of age. Eight experimental groups were established based on caponisation status and pain management. Four groups were caponised using different pain management protocols (none, anaesthesia only, analgesia only, or both), while four non-caponised groups served as controls, including one group that received anaesthesia and analgesia without surgery. The remaining three groups served as non-caponised controls with varying levels of handling. The researchers monitored body weight, feed intake, respiratory and heart rate, vocalisations, response to pain, and depth of anaesthesia. The results confirmed that caponisation is painful, as reflected in increased physiological responses and vocalisations. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alone did not provide effective pain relief. Additionally, the surgical procedure had no significant effect on weight gain or feed intake during the seven days following surgery. Stress levels, measured by blood serum corticosterone concentration, also increased during the procedure. The study concludes that anaesthesia significantly reduces pain and facilitates surgery, which is essential for improving animal welfare.