Because of the widespread adoption of tail docking in recent decades, it is difficult to assess how the prevalence of the problem has changed over time. However, it is widely believed that the problem has become more severe with the growth in popularity of more intensive production systems. Farm reports, epidemiological surveys and controlled experiments all highlight the absence of straw (or other functional environmental enrichment) and high stocking density as significant risk factors (see review by Schroder-Petersen and Simonsen, 2001). It is, therefore, of interest to note the first report of a high prevalence of tail biting in more extensive, outdoor rearing conditions, published in this issue of The Veterinary Journal (Walker and Bilkei, 2005). Walker and Bilkei clearly demonstrate that intensification per se is not a necessary condition for the behaviour to be expressed.