Day 5: Time for a Little Dental Work and Housing

Not to make myself sound old, but boy do they sure do grow up fast!  It is hard to believe that Peaches' piglets are already 5 days old.  So many great things have happened since they arrived last Thursday.  The live video stream has over 5,000 hits - THAT'S PHENOMENAL!  It is so exciting to share this great learning experience with the world!  Literally!

So big!

Yesterday we docked tails to prevent tail biting and today we clipped the needle teeth (AKA - Wolf Teeth).  This hands-on, real-world learning approach is really giving the students a truly remarkable experience!  Who would have thought that students in a comprehensive high school, like Cumberland Valley, would have the opportunity to practice veterinary procedures at the age of 16 and 17???

Students prepare to clip needle teeth

Anyway - down to business about what took place in class today.  After doing our daily piglet observation, the CASE Animal Science II students (also known as Vet & BioMed Research) had the chance to nip the needle teeth of the piglets.  

Why?  For the protection of Peaches', her teats, and for the future health of the piglets.  

How does it protect Peaches?

Answer: When piglets are nursing, they tend to become competitive over the mother's teats.  If two become engaged in a conflict, it could result in one biting Peaches' teat and causing injury - Needle teeth are VERY sharp!  If the teats become infected and uncomfortable, she may develop issues within her mammary system or worse yet, she might not allow the piglets to nurse - which could result in malnutrition and starvation.

Tusks (Needle Teeth) that have not been removed shortly after birth.

How does it help the piglets later in life?

Answer: Needle Teeth or Wolf Teeth are what develop into tusks.  Tusks can pose a threat of injury to other pigs and humans when they mature into adulthood.  Tusks can also grown uncontrollably and cause issues with eating food and living life normally.

If you look closely, you can see one of the needle teeth near my right thumb

This process is a VERY quick and seemingly painless procedure.  Using a pair of cutting tools, all 8 needle teeth are quickly removed.  Since the piglets are so young, the nerve endings have not completely developed in the teeth - meaning, the discomfort level is EXTREMELY minimal and essentially blood-free.  Students use extreme care when restraining the piglets and are cautious not to accidentally nip the gum line or tongue of the piglets.  Once the teeth have been removed, the piglets quickly return to Peaches' and resume nursing as if nothing has ever happened.  The entire process takes less than 30 seconds per piglet!  

If you take a close look, the yellow tooth is a small portion of Peaches' needle teeth from when her's were nipped as a piglet.  I think she needs to brush them!

Okay - enough about dental work.  What about the housing situation?

Let us compare Peaches' accommodations at Cumberland Valley Ag Sciences versus a Commercial Swine Operation.

Cumberland Valley Ag Sciences:

*Peaches' and her piglets have a 16' by 8' (128 sq. ft) well-bedded maternity ward

*Room temperature: consistent 70 degrees Fahrenheit 

*Ventilation: consistent air movement

*Lighting: 24/7 light availability

*Feed: Self Feeder with food readily available

*Water: Fresh water daily

Peaches' Bungalow! 

Commercial Swine Operation:

 

*Farrowing unit requirements: 5' by 6' (30 sq. feet) clean, well cared for, slatted floors... slatted floors allow feces and urine to pass through into a manure storage pit below the barn floor

*Room temperature: consistent 65-70 degree Fahrenheit

*Ventilation: well-ventilated barns with fans to remove odors and unclean air, while providing fresh, clean air in return

*Lighting: 24/7 light availability

*Feed: automated feeders with set amounts to provide proper nutriton

*Water: consistent supply of fresh, cool water via automatic waterers 

Farrowing Unit in a Commercial Swine Operations (see the automatic feeders, heat lamps for piglets, automatic waterers, etc...)  

*Note: Sows do not spend their life in these units.  They are removed once the litter has been weaned.

In both scenarios, the pigs are treated with the utmost respect and care using the best animal husbandry skills.  Any good agriculturalist understands that a happy animal provides a bountiful harvest.  Farmers are stewards of the land and of the animals - they take every step possible to ensure the fruits of their labor are quality from Farm to Fork!

Besides, with labor, neither knowledge nor wisdom can accomplish much!

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