Does ‘topping’ help?

We all get this problem to a greater or lesser extent. Topping is the term given to removing pigs to a spare pen or even on to slaughter which are 5% to 10% ahead of the rest of their companions in a pen. Until I am persuaded otherwise, however, topping is not for me. Topping is sometimes done about a week to ten days before slaughter when the pens are beginning to look distinctly crowded. As it seems to be a growing trend, I did some measurements in 2010 with co-operating farmers as I was unsu