The absence of neuromas in beaks of adult hens after conservative trimming at hatch.

Objective: To determine the effects of the amount of break removed and cauterisation time on neuroma formation in hens.

Design: A pathology study with controls.

Animals: Twenty domestic fowl were beak-trimmed. Three non-beak-trimmed domestic fowl were used as controls.

Procedure: Beaks of two age groups with two levels of beak removal and either 2 s or 4 s cauterisation, were investigated macroscopically and microscopically for deformities.

Results: Scattered trauma-associated neuromas were present in the beaks of pullets 10 weeks after moderate trimming at hatch. Neuromas were not present in beaks of adult hens that had been similarly trimmed. Sensory corpuscles were present 10 and 70 weeks after moderate trimming, though fewer in number than in intact control hens. In contrast, trauma-associated neuromas persisted in beaks of 70-week-old hens that had been severely trimmed at hatch. A range of deformities that were absent in moderately trimmed hens, were observed in hens with severely trimmed beaks. Receptors were not seen in severely trimmed beaks.

Conclusion: Beak-trimming at hatch induces the formation of neuromas, regardless of the amount of tissue removed. There is a critical amount of beak tissue that can be removed, beyond which trauma-associated neuromas will not resolve, but will persist in mature hens.