[Browntea]

I'm looking at buying a boar, his upper tusks are grinding for want of a better word on him,and making a sore groove!?

What would be the procedure to sort this?

Stresnil + saw and of they come or do I need a vet?

He's a very quiet lad but I reckon it might just piss him off if it ain't done right!!!

I know stresnil is a prescription drug

[robert waddell]

an Irishman told me that he just hit them with a hammer       the best way is a cheese wire that seals the tusks with the friction    they have to be restrained in a cattle crush for YOUR SAFTEY
probably some good beer or cider for the pig first then you after the job is done

[suziequeue]

We learnt about cutting tusks off on a pig keeping course the I went on. They definitely need cutting off if they are casuing him sores.
On our course they didn't use sedation but the boar does need to be restrained properly. The boar was in a crate and then another soft noose was placed around his snout and upper jaw to hold his head steady. The tusks were cut off using one of those wire saws.
And yes - you're right - it will piss him off of not done right so you are wise to suggest geting the vet or an experienced pig person who knows what they are doing to help you.
Can't you make it a condition of sale that the vendor will cut the tusks off?

[Sylvia]

I was just thinkinng the same Suzie, I don't think I would buy him in , and somebody certainly shouldn't be selling him , in that state!!

[oaklandspigs]

Browntea,
 
Agree with the others, experienced pig keeper or vet needed to do this, and unless you're desperate get the seller to do this first.
 
The first centimetre or so is the sensitive part, so don't let anyone do it back to the gumline, this is what some used to do, and all it does is make the pig have a very painful mouth, introduce disease into the root system, and make your pig hate you, and a boar that hates you is not a good idea!
 
We had a boar whose tusks grew back into him - we use to take the final 1-2cm off using a pair of bolt croppers.  We waited until he was asleep, and did whichever side he was sleeping on.  We just approached him quietly, put the croppers either side without touching, and then closed them, takes confidence and speed, but gives a neat finish.  As I said only the last 1-2cm, and he'd just shake his head as they do when you wake a pig by touching them, and go back to sleep.  Wait until he was sleeping on the other side and repeat.  We did this every 6-9 months or so as they grew back for several years.

[Browntea]

Thanks for replying all of you, just as I thought really, not sure about the bolt croppers though!!

[Fowgill Farm]

We use cow de-horning wire like a cheese wire to take off Gerry's tusks (he's nearly 8yrs old) which are huge and we do it while he's asleep, he never bats an eyelid.
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb220/fowgillfarm/Image120.jpg  this is gerry with our calves!
this is somebody doing pig tusks
http://veterinaryexperiences-nick.blogspot.com/2010/02/farm-visits-pigs.html
 
HTH
Mandy