Author Topic: Clipping piglets teeth? (Read 3062 times)

JedM · « **on:** February 11, 2015, 04:11:46 pm »

My gilt had 11 piglets on Monday evening and all is going well so far, but I am not sure if the piglets teeth need to be clipped or not? What does everyone else do?

They will be having an iron injection at the end of the week, but I am new to all this so I am not sure of some things.

Thanks

Q · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2015, 04:36:34 pm »

I cant help with the clipping but what a cute bunch of bacon sarnies. Pictures are good.

FiB · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2015, 06:22:39 pm »

I have no idea why that is done sometimes... None of our weaners were, and I wouldn't buy from anyone who did, unless there was some medical reason.....

harmony · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2015, 06:49:43 pm »

They are clipped to prevent piglets causing damage to each other when they are feeding. If a sow has a well spaced underline with enough working teats and plenty of milk it shouldn't be a problem.

The teeth that are clipped are very sharp and point outwards, so if a large litter is feeding on a sow with close teats a competitive bunch can injure each others faces.

I never clip mine but I have seen the occasional facial injury. Rather like babies that scratch themselves with long nails.

Some people do in routinely, others never bother.

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2015, 10:10:03 pm »

We don't clip teeth and we do nearly 500 piglets a year.

Most mums just shut the milk bar if the piglets bite too hard, and whilst they do occur, we rarely get teat issues, and only very rarely injuries between piglets.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2015, 10:52:56 am »

We don't clip either, haven't had any problems (touch wood!)

hughesy · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2015, 12:39:38 pm »

Strikes me as something from the past that should stay in the past. Our sows have large litters, we'ved weaned 14 a few times, and never had any problems with damage to either piglets or teats.

FiB · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2015, 01:19:00 pm »

Thanks for the explanation, it does as hughsey says, sound like a relic practice.

JedM · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2015, 08:37:23 am »

Thanks all, I have left them and haven't had any problems.

Angry grapefruit · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2015, 06:53:37 pm »

I've clipped a lot of pigs teeth on commercial units I've worked on. Both indoors and outdoors. The idea is that the sharp little teeth don't damage the teat and hence the sows can last longer and are more willing to let down more milk.

Always struck me as a slightly archaic practice though and probably not great with numbers of infections tracking through the exposed pulp of the teeth as well as the potential for operator error so to speak