Influence of tooth resection on behaviour, performance and physiology of piglets

Tooth resection performed in order to avoid injuries to piglets and to the sow’s udder is now criticised. In order to assess short term consequences, two experiments were performed. The first study, used 128 piglets, and focussed on the behavioural consequences and growth performance of tooth resection. The aim of the second experiment was to determine the effects of tooth resection on the adrenal (plasma cortisol and ACTH) and sympathetic (measurement of glucose and lactate released from catecholamine-induced mobilisation of glycogen) axes in 24 piglets (catheterised at birth). The first experiment used 4 treatments: tooth resection with a grinding wheel, tooth clipping, simulation of grinding or no handling.In the second experiment, the same treatments were used except that simulation of grinding was replaced by simulation of tooth clipping. Treatments were performed the day after birth. During grinding, the percentage of piglets with leg movements was higher than in the other treatments. During the 20s following treatment, piglets which had their teeth blunted (grinding and clipping) exhibited more chewing behaviour. In the 12 hours following treatment the time spent by the piglets resting, standing or active at the sow’s udder was similar in the 4 groups. At 7 days of age, lip lesions were more numerous for the piglets which had their teeth clipped or ground, and piglets which had their teeth clipped weighed less than controls. Tooth clipping or grinding had no marked effects on the occurrence of lesions to the udder and on the patterns of plasma cortisol, ACTH, glucose and lactate. In conclusion, tooth resection had only moderate effects on piglet behaviour, physiology and skin integrity. However, tooth clipping with pliers had a detrimental influence on growth rate during the first week of life.