Piglet castration
Imago Images / PPE 
Surgical castration is heavily debated.
GERMANY, Berlin. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is promoting the purchase of technology for stunning with isoflurane. As of last week, farmers can apply for this aid.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) supports farmers with the "Directive on the promotion of the purchase of anaesthesia equipment for piglet castration (isoflurane anaesthesia)": For 2020, a total of € 20 mill. are available to financially grant subsidies for the purchase of such equipment, the BMEL announces. Only those devices that are certified with regard to animal welfare, user safety and environmental protection will be funded. In addition, the "subsidy" is limited to a maximum of 5,000 € per sow farmer. Agricultural enterprises can still apply for subsidies from the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) until 1 July 2020.
From 1 January 2021 onwards, piglet castration will only be permitted under anaesthetic in Germany. "And this with full elimination of pain, not only relief", the BMEL specifies. Surgical castration is one of the possible procedures to ensure that no meat with an unpleasant odour is put on the market. According to the "Ordinance on the performance of anaesthesia with isoflurane during piglet castration by competent persons", farmers as well as other competent persons may perform general anaesthesia with the veterinary drug isoflurane. 
pixabay/Ehrecke
Source: agrarzeitung.de