Farm Animals

Pig Dental Welfare and Teeth Clipping

Routine teeth clipping in piglets to reduce sow teat damage is contentious. Evidence questions the practice and alternatives should be considered.

Key Facts

Piglets are born with eight needle teeth (canines and lateral incisors)
Needle teeth can damage sow teats during suckling, potentially reducing milk access
Teeth clipping is common practice in commercial farrowing systems
Research shows teeth clipping may increase bacterial infection risk
Management alternatives including sufficient teat access and sow welfare reduce the need for clipping

Welfare Considerations

Teeth clipping causes acute pain and creates open wounds that may become infected. The practice addresses a symptom (teat damage) rather than the underlying cause (insufficient teat access or sow welfare). Improving farrowing management to reduce competition and teat damage is preferable to routine teeth clipping.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards requiring evidence-based justification for teeth clipping
Advocate for phase-out of routine teeth clipping in favour of management improvements
Choose pork from farms that do not routinely clip piglet teeth