Teeth clipping

'''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.

Some piglets are born with erupted teeth; in order to avoid sow teat injury and damage between piglets, some farms clip their deciduous teeth.<ref name="Sutherland_2015">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sutherland MA | title = Welfare implications of invasive piglet husbandry procedures, methods of alleviation and alternatives: a review | journal = New Zealand Veterinary Journal | volume = 63 | issue = 1 | pages = 52–57 | date = January 2015 | pmid = 25204203 | doi = 10.1080/00480169.2014.961990 }}</ref> Lesions caused by piglet teeth are superficial, and mortality is lower among pigs that don't undergo painful procedures, including teeth clipping.<ref name="ThePigSite">{{Cite web |title=Solutions for ending painful piglet procedures: teeth reduction |url=https://www.thepigsite.com/articles/solutions-for-ending-painful-piglet-procedure-teeth-reduction |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=www.thepigsite.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Van Beirendonck S, Driessen B, Verbeke G, Permentier L, Van de Perre V, Geers R |date=2012-03-01 |title=Improving survival, growth rate, and animal welfare in piglets by avoiding teeth shortening and tail docking |journal=Journal of Veterinary Behavior |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=88–93 |doi=10.1016/j.jveb.2011.08.005 |issn=1558-7878|url=https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/348374 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Disadvantages == Some of the disadvantages of teeth clipping are:<ref name="Sutherland_2015" /><ref name="ThePigSite" /><ref name="Greener_World">{{cite web | url = https://agreenerworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TAFS-19-Avoiding-the-Need-to-Teeth-Clip-Piglets-v2.pdf | title = Avoiding the Need to Teeth Clip Piglets | work = A Greener World Technical Advice Fact Sheet No. 19 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Hay W, Rue J, Sansac C, Brunel G, Prunier A |date=2004 |title=Long-term detrimental effects of tooth clipping or grinding in piglets: a histological approach |journal=Animal Welfare |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=27–32 |doi=10.1017/S0962728600026622 |issn=0962-7286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Menegatti L, Silva KC, Baggio RA, Silva AS, Paiano D, Zotti ML |date=2018-01-10 |title=Los procedimientos dentales postnatales afectan la ganancia de peso y el bienestar de los lechones | trans-title = Postnatal dental procedures affect weight gain and welfare of piglets |url=https://revistamvz.unicordoba.edu.co/article/view/1238 |journal=Revista MVZ Córdoba |language=es |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=6429–6437 |doi=10.21897/rmvz.1238 |issn=1909-0544|doi-access=free }}</ref>

* Piglets may stop eating due to pain * Antibiotic overuse{{elaborate|date=October 2024}} * Decreased weight gain * Hemorrhage (blood loss) * Teeth fracture * Gum damage * Abscess * Mouth infections * Joint infections * Systemic infections * Lethargy due to infection * Higher stress and cortisol, which reduces muscle mass in pigs<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yoshioka G, Imaeda N, Ohtani T, Hayashi K | title = Effects of cortisol on muscle proteolysis and meat quality in piglets | journal = Meat Science | volume = 71 | issue = 3 | pages = 590–593 | date = November 2005 | pmid = 22060938 | doi = 10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.05.015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wan X, Wang D, Xiong Q, Xiang H, Li H, Wang H, Liu Z, Niu H, Peng J, Jiang S, Chai J | title = Elucidating a molecular mechanism that the deterioration of porcine meat quality responds to increased cortisol based on transcriptome sequencing | journal = Scientific Reports | volume = 6 | issue = 1 | article-number = 36589 | date = November 2016 | pmid = 27833113 | doi = 10.1038/srep36589 | pmc = 5105143 | bibcode = 2016NatSR...636589W }}</ref> Many contend that the harms of teeth clipping exceed the benefits.<ref name="Sutherland_2015" />

== Ethics == Teeth clipping, if done without anesthetic or analgesic (a common practice), is painful.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schmid |first1=Simone M. |last2=Steinhoff-Wagner |first2=Julia |date=2022-01-17 |title=Impact of Routine Management Procedures on the Welfare of Suckling Piglets |journal=Veterinary Sciences |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=32 |doi=10.3390/vetsci9010032 |doi-access=free |issn=2306-7381 |pmc=8778417 |pmid=35051116}}</ref> Teeth clipping often exposes the dental pulp, thereby exposing nerves, causing chronic pain. If the exposed dental pulp becomes infected, extreme pain will follow.<ref name="Greener_World" />

== Alternatives == Smaller litter sizes, less dense and intensive pig farming, cage-free farming, and better feed for sows. <ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chou JY, Marchant JN, Nalon E, Huynh TT, van de Weerd HA, Boyle LA, Ison SH | title = Investigating risk factors behind piglet facial and sow teat lesions through a literature review and a survey on teeth reduction | journal = Frontiers in Veterinary Science | volume = 9 | article-number = 909401 | date = 2022-12-02 | pmid = 36532351 | pmc = 9755856 | doi = 10.3389/fvets.2022.909401 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="ThePigSite" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Pigs Category:Cruelty to animals Category:Dentistry procedures Category:Ethically disputed business practices towards animals