Farm Pig: Dentition and Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Pig dental welfare encompasses teeth clipping in piglets, development of dental disease, and the link between oral health and overall welfare.

Key Facts

Needle teeth clipping in newborn piglets is practiced to reduce teat injury to sows and eye injuries to littermates
EU legislation requires pain relief for teeth clipping and limits it to exceptional cases
Untouched needle teeth in high litter-size herds can cause sow udder damage reducing milk production
Older pigs rarely develop dental disease but oral examination is often overlooked in welfare assessments
Gilt development requires adequate nutrition to support tooth eruption and oral health

Welfare Considerations

Teeth clipping without pain relief causes acute pain in neonatal piglets. The procedure should only be performed when clearly indicated - routine clipping of all piglets regardless of need is not justifiable on welfare grounds. Sow welfare must also be considered, as needle tooth damage to teats causes pain that reduces suckling and impacts piglet welfare through reduced milk availability.

What You Can Do

Review teeth clipping practice on your unit and restrict to indicated cases only
Use pain relief if teeth clipping is performed as required by regulations
Monitor sow udder damage rates to assess whether clipping is necessary
Work with your vet to optimise farrowing management that reduces the need for teeth clipping
Record teeth clipping as part of your welfare data