Pfizer Animal Health boar taint vaccine ‘marks a new era’

Pfizer Animal Health’s Improvac vaccine has the capability to usher in a new era in the pork farming industry, it has been claimed.

The treatment, which is currently undergoing approval procedures in the European Union, will improve factors such as pigs’ weight, animal welfare and faster growth, according to FarmingUK.

It added that taste panels have confirmed an improvement in meat flavour following the animals being treated with the vaccine.

Nigel Lodge, technical manager for Pfizer’s pig division, stated: “This is consistent with what has been found in countries such as Switzerland that have recently started using vaccination as an alternative to castration of pigs.”

He added that one of the most noticeable improvements is the reduction of boar taint – an odour emanating from pork as it cooks.

Last month, Bloomberg writer Shannon Pettypiece stated that Pfizer may gain attention from the world’s biggest drugmakers for its canine cancer treatments, anti-flea products and cattle vaccines.