斷尾（家畜）: the law by country

By elastrator on day 2-7 of life, by the person responsible for the lamb, leaving a stump that covers anus and vulva; otherwise only on veterinary grounds, by a vet.

National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice: an industry code, not a statute. NFACC says Code requirements are not explicitly binding in most provinces but can be evidence of distress. Referred to in provincial law: adopted in NL (NLR 36/12; NLR 35/12 s.15 makes a practice a code prohibits a prohibited one), prescribed in SK (Reg 1 s.3-4), named as a defence in NB (Reg 2000-4 s.4(2), Sch A) and BC (B.C. Reg. 34/2019, as generally accepted practice), accepted in NS (Act s.28(b)). Decide on a welfare risk/benefit basis; surgical docking and lambs over six weeks by a veterinarian with anesthesia and analgesia; no rubber rings past six weeks; no shorter than the distal end of the caudal fold.

National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice: an industry code, not a statute. NFACC says Code requirements are not explicitly binding in most provinces but can be evidence of distress. Referred to in provincial law: adopted in NL (NLR 36/12; NLR 35/12 s.15 makes a practice a code prohibits a prohibited one), prescribed in SK (Reg 1 s.3-4), named as a defence in NB (Reg 2000-4 s.4(2), Sch A) and BC (B.C. Reg. 34/2019, as generally accepted practice), accepted in NS (Act s.28(b)). Over 7 days of age with pain control; since 2016-07-01 at any age with analgesics.

Allowed only as permitted by a code adopted in the Animal Protection Standards Regulations (NLR 36/12 adopts the NFACC Sheep Code), or on a veterinarian's finding of injury or medical necessity.

May be done by a knowledgeable individual, following the FASS Guide (2010) and Battaglia's Handbook of Livestock Management (2007). Subsection rewritten effective 2012-02-06.

May be done by a knowledgeable individual.

Acceptable if done humanely. The responsible party chooses the method and any pain management, weighing age, weight, environment, facilities and safety. Earlier version from 2011.

Enough tail must be kept to cover the vulva or anus. Rubber ring or similar only at 7 days or under; any other method needs an anaesthetic.

Only after environmental or management measures have been tried and tail-biting injury is still evidenced; quick and complete severance; anaesthetic and prolonged analgesia at 7 days or over.

Lay person: keep enough tail to cover vulva or anus; rubber ring up to 7 days; other means such as a hot docking iron up to 3 months.

Lay person: only after other measures against tail-biting and with injuries still occurring; up to 7 days without an anaesthetic, quick and complete severance.

Farmed sheep on agricultural land, for animal health. Over 3 months, or surgical docking, by a vet only; keep enough tail to cover vulva or anus.

Farmed pigs on agricultural land, on evidence of tail injuries after other measures; quick and complete severance; over 7 days by a vet only under anaesthetic with prolonged analgesia.

Enough tail to cover vulva or anus. Rubber ring only at 7 days or under; any other method needs an anaesthetic.

Only after other measures against tail-biting failed; quick and complete severance; anaesthetic and prolonged analgesia at 7 days or over.

Under 6 months: hot iron or rubber ring only, and no shorter than the distal end of the caudal fold. From 6 months: veterinarian (or supervised veterinary student) with pain relief. The operator must be trained or experienced and able to recognise distress.

Under 7 days: a clean cut that does not tear tissue. From 7 days: veterinarian (or supervised veterinary student) with pain relief. The operator must be trained or experienced and able to recognise distress.

Lambs under 8 days without anaesthesia, by a qualified person. Text read on a legal publisher's copy of Act 246/1992 Sb. (last amended 1 April 2025), not the official collection.

Piglets under 7 days without anaesthesia, by a qualified person. Text read on a legal publisher's copy of Act 246/1992 Sb. (last amended 1 April 2025), not the official collection.

Suffolk, Hampshire Down and Clun Forest only, not older than 7 days, with stud-book documents of the parents; elastic bands no longer allowed (RVO).

Tail tip of piglets not older than 4 days, where injuries are found and measures against tail biting failed.

Small ruminants born in Slovakia, up to 8 days of age. Version of 1 January 2022; a 2025 amendment (307/2025) exists and was not checked.

The agency says tail cutting is not permitted on animals other than piglets. The agency page cites no section numbers; the statute itself could not be opened (Riigi Teataja needs a script-enabled browser), so check the current wording.

Only if cannibalism is noticed in the herd, for the health and welfare of other pigs. The agency page cites no section numbers; the statute itself could not be opened (Riigi Teataja needs a script-enabled browser), so check the current wording.

Rubber ring under 8 days, otherwise by a vet; keep enough tail to cover vulva or anus.

Non-routine, under 8 days, on evidence of injury and after a vet's opinion on the premises' environment and management.

Without anaesthesia only for lambs under 8 days; elastic rings allowed for lambs.

Without anaesthesia only for piglets under 4 days.

Not law by itself; each state decides (mandatory in QLD, SA, TAS as of April 2026). Standards: skilled operator; over 6 months old needs pain relief and haemorrhage control; leave a stump with at least one palpable free joint.

Mandatory code per the national standards body. We read the national text, not the regulation: skilled operator; over 6 months old needs pain relief and haemorrhage control; at least one palpable free joint left.

From 6 months old needs an analgesic or anaesthetic and haemorrhage treatment; leave a stump with at least one palpable free joint. The Animal Welfare Act 2025 (SA), not in operation on 2026-11-04, will repeal these regulations when it starts.

Over 6 months old needs pain relief and steps against haemorrhage; leave at least one joint protruding from the rump, unless a veterinary surgeon is satisfied removing all joints is in the sheep's best interests.