Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42576233›Full record

ArticlePorcine health management2026

Criteria for timely euthanasia of compromised pigs based on expert opinion and longitudinal data collection on farm.

Julia D Kschonek, Maria Hartmann, Kathrin Deters, Annika Joost, Moana Miller, Jennifer Reinmold, Henrike Maiti, Isabel Hennig-Pauka, Nicole Kemper, Christin Kleinsorgen and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Porcine health management, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Julia D KschonekInstitute of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI), WHO-CC for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany. Julia.dorothee.kschonek@tiho-hannover.de.
Maria HartmannInstitute of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI), WHO-CC for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Kathrin DetersField Station for Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Büscheler Str. 9, 49456, Bakum, Hannover, Germany.
Annika JoostCentre for E-Learning, Didactics, Educational Research [ZELDA], University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Moana MillerInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
Jennifer ReinmoldField Station for Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Büscheler Str. 9, 49456, Bakum, Hannover, Germany.
Henrike MaitiInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
Isabel Hennig-PaukaField Station for Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Büscheler Str. 9, 49456, Bakum, Hannover, Germany.
Nicole KemperInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
Christin KleinsorgenCentre for E-Learning, Didactics, Educational Research [ZELDA], University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Karl-Heinz TölleISN-Projekt GmbH, Kirchplatz 2, 49401, Damme, Germany.
Lothar KreienbrockInstitute of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI), WHO-CC for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Michael WendtClinic for Swine, Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173, Hannover, Germany.
Elisabeth Grosse BeilageField Station for Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation, Büscheler Str. 9, 49456, Bakum, Hannover, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Timely euthanasia is essential for safeguarding pig welfare by preventing unnecessary pain and suffering. However, the definition of what constitutes "timely" euthanasia and which clinical signs allow identification of this time point require empirical validation. This study presents the results of an expert evaluation conducted during a continuing education course. Seventy pig-experienced veterinarians and farmers assessed on-farm recorded clinical signs, as well as photographic and video material from 130 pigs documenting the progression of disease over several days until recovery or euthanasia. For each observation day presented, participants voted for or against euthanasia and provided the reasoning underlying their decision. In total, more than 22,000 individual evaluations were collected. The time point considered appropriate for euthanasia and the associated decision criteria were analyzed and compared with the clinical signs recorded on farm. Qualitative analysis showed that expert consensus on timely euthanasia is primarily based on assessing the chance of treatment success, establishing a specific diagnosis, and evaluating clinical signs through repeated assessments. Furthermore, results indicated that euthanasia decision-making should occur within a time frame encompassing up to three re-visitations.

Indexed as

Animal welfareCourse of diseaseHospital penLamenessMercy killingTime frame

Identifiers

PMID42576233
PMCPMC13455467

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.