Christina Phillips University of Minnesota

Publish Date: November 10, 2009

Several management procedures collectively referred to as “processing” need to be performed on baby pigs once they are born. Processing procedures vary among operation but often include clipping needle teeth, docking tails, administering iron and other medication(s), identification of piglets, and castration. These procedures are done to meet either an important biological need of the pig or a management need of the producer. Processing procedures such as clipping needle teeth and iron injections should be performed 24 to 48 hours after birth, so most operations process litters either the first or second day after farrowing. The following procedures can be done on piglets up to 3 days old, with the exception of castration which can be done on days 3-7. The objective of this sheet is to explain how to process piglets and describe why each procedure is performed.