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

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.