Teeth clipping

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Teeth clipping in pigs is a management practice in which the sharp tips of newborn piglets' teeth are trimmed or filed to reduce the risk of injury to sows during nursing and minimize aggression-related injuries among piglets.

Contents

Piglets are born with erupted teeth, in order to avoid sow teat injury and damage between piglets, some farms clip their deciduous teeth. [1] Lesions caused by piglet teeth are superficial and mortality is lower among pigs that don't undergo painful procedures, including teeth clipping. [2] [3]

Disadvantages

The benefits of teeth clipping do not exceed the negative aspects. [1] Some of the disadvantages of teeth clipping are: [1] [2] [4] [5] [6]

Ethics

The procedure is painful and produces chronic pain, the dental pulp with the nerve can become exposed, producing further pain. Moreover, if the exposed dental pulp becomes infected, extreme pain will be present. [4]

Alternatives

Smaller litter sizes, less dense and intensive pig farming, cage free farming, better feed sow. [9] [2]

See also

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References

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  4. 1 2 "Avoiding the Need to Teeth Clip Piglets" (PDF). A Greener World Technical Advice Fact Sheet No. 19.
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