[Porterlauren]

Who clips the teeth of their weaners out of interest?

[HappyHippy]

Nope, not me. If I thought there was a welfare issue for the sow/other piglets I might consider it, but our herd is fairly chilled out, no stress, no massive litters with piglets fighting for teats etc so there's no need.
HTH

[oaklandspigs]

agree, not needed in low intensity systems

[hughesy]

Absolutely not. It's a practice that should be banned in my opinion.

[Azzdodd]

Should be left in the past I think with tail docking an sow crates ?

[Porterlauren]

I just wondered about it based upon instances of mastitis caused by cut teats.

[oaklandspigs]

most sows will 'shut the milk bar' (roll onto their stomach) when piglets get too feisty, so the piglets learn early on that biting doesn't pay.

We have had a few sows that will let piglets bite, and we have had to cull a few sows over many years because of mastitis, but generally it is not a problem.

[Marches Farmer]

Occasionally we get a bite on a teat but clean it off and spray with plastic wound spray then disinfectant, which seems to persuade the piglet to try another teat long enough for the injured one to heal.

[MarthaR]

Hi Marches Farmer - what's the plastic wound spray? Not heard of it before but currently have a leg gash on a piglet - a small piece of skin is pulled back but it's not bleeding or weeping on piglet. Would it be any good for that as spray seems too fierce and cream rubs off.
Martha R