Dental Care: Tooth Grinders for Targeted Use on the Piglet

Dental Care: Grinding Gently Instead of Clipping

Suckling piglets are born with sharp eye teeth. In the pecking order at the udder these points can injure the sow's udder and the faces of their littermates. Where that demonstrably happens in a herd, grinding the tips of the teeth is one way of limiting the damage. Here you will find battery and mains units, grinding bits as well as spare batteries and chargers.

Units and grinding bits

For mobile work in the farrowing pen, battery tooth grinders such as the Premium 12 V or the ProPig battery tooth grinder are the right choice, as they need no cable and sit lightly in the hand. Where a socket is nearby, the Premium piglet tooth grinder at 230 V runs continuously at a constant speed. A model with a flexible shaft separates motor and handpiece, which takes weight off your hand. The grinding bits are coated with diamond dust and available in 5.4 and 7 millimetres, so you can match diameter and tooth size. A spare battery and spare charger keep things moving when several litters are due.

Working cleanly and staying on the right side of the law

A procedure on the teeth is not a routine measure. It is permitted only where injuries actually occur in the herd and other routes such as cross-fostering, nurse sows or adjusted management have been used up first. Record the reason in writing and agree the approach with your vet. Technically the rule is: take only the tip off, leave the tooth surface smooth and closed, and carry the work out in the first days of life. Work on a calmly held piglet, clean the grinding bit between litters and change it as soon as the coating wears down.

Frequently asked questions

Why grind rather than clip?
Grinding leaves the tooth surface smooth and closed, and the risk of splinters and exposed pulp is lower. That is exactly what the rules call for as well. Work slowly and take only the tip off rather than shortening the tooth noticeably.

When is the procedure permitted at all?
Only in a justified individual case, where injuries to the udder or to littermates are documented and housing and management have been adjusted beforehand. It is done in the first days of life and belongs in the hands of a trained person.

Battery or mains?
The battery unit is more mobile in the farrowing pen, because no cable is in the way. With many litters in a row the mains unit gives constant output without a charging break. A spare battery largely evens that difference out.