Research in VeterinaryScience 1995, 58, 158-162

Anatomical consequences of partial beak amputation

(beak trimming) in turkeys
M. J. GENTLE, B. H. THORP, B. O. HUGHES, Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS

SUMMARY
A detailed anatomical study was made of the effects of trimming the upper beak of turkeys. The anatomy of the normal beak was
compared with that of beaks from birds which had been trimmed by one of three methods, all commonly used in the poultry
industry: the Bio-Beaker which passes an electric current through the premaxilla, secateurs, or a heated blade debeaker. All three
resulted in the loss of significant amounts of beak tissue. By 42 days after trimming the beak had healed with extensive regrowth,
including bone and cartilage formation, and the pattern of regrowth was similar after all three methods. In the normal bird the
dermis at the tip of the upper beak contains large numbers of nerve fibres and sensory receptors, but in the beak-trimmed birds the
dermal tissue, although well supplied with blood vessels, was devoid of afferent nerve fibres and sensory nerve endings. In con-
trast with the results of previous studies with older chickens there was no evidence of neuroma formation. Trimming with
secateurs was the most precise method. The heated blade damaged additional tissue close to the position of the cut, and the Bio-
Beaker produced the most tissue damage. Behavioural studies suggested that the effectiveness of beak trimming in controlling
feather pecking depends on the extent of the tissue damage.

THE beaks of chickens and turkeys are often partially
amputated (trimmed) to prevent or control cannibalism and
feather pecking. Studies have been made of chickens which
have had their beaks trimmed with a heated blade debeaker
as day-old chicks (Desserich et al 1983, 1984) or at five
weeks of age (Gentle 1986). The work of Desserich et al
was largely confined to investigating the sensory corpus-
cles in the beak, and six weeks after trimming there was a
partial regeneration of the beak tissue. The wound was
closed by the growth of the stratum germinativum, the stra-
tum corneum and the corium, but the bone and nerve tissue
did not regenerate. When the birds were beak trimmed at
five weeks of age the stump was completely healed by 15
to 30 days after trimming. The healed tip of the beak, how-
ever, consisted of the outer epithelium with the keratin
sheath overlying an extensive area of scar tissue. There was
no evidence that this dense scar tissue was replaced by nor-
mal dermal tissue and the nerves did not regenerate to the
tip of the beak. Adjacent to this scar tissue the regenerating
nerve fibres formed large neuromas and these neuromas
gave rise to abnormal spontaneous neural activity (Breward
and Gentle 1985).
There have been no detailed studies of the anatomical
consequences of beak trimming in turkeys. The present
study was undertaken to investigate the effects of trimming
the beaks of turkeys with the Bio-Beaker, secateurs, or a
heated blade debeaker, at three different ages. This combi-
nation of methods and ages covered all those commonly in
use in the poultry industry in the United Kingdom.
destroy the beak tissue. The birds' beaks were trimmed when
they were one day old and groups of three birds were killed
by cervical dislocation and their beaks removed 24 hours, 21
days and 42 days after they were trimmed.
Eighteen of the birds had one third of the upper beak
removed with a pair of sharp secateurs, nine when they
were six days of age and nine at 21 days of age. At each
age, groups of three birds were killed 24 hours, 21 days and
42 days after trimming and their beaks removed. This pro-
cedure was repeated, using a commercial heated-blade
debeaker instead of secateurs, with another group of 18
birds. In order to investigate the normal anatomy of the
beak of turkeys three control birds were killed at six days
of age and three at 21 days of age and their beaks removed.
The beaks were placed in buffered neutral formalin and
fixed for at least a month. After fixation the beaks were
decalcified in Goodings and Stewart's fluid (5 ml formic
acid and 5 ml formaldehyde made up to 100 ml with dis-
tilled water). The beaks were X-rayed after three days in
the decalcifier and at regular intervals thereafter to deter-
mine when they had been decalcified. After complete
decalcification the beaks were washed and placed in a 4 per
cent aqueous solution of calcium thioglycolate to soften the
outer keratin. When the keratin was soft and pliable the
beaks were embedded in paraffin wax, and serially sec-
tioned (longitudinally) at intervals of 10 gin. Alternate
sections were stained with either haematoxylin and eosin or
by Masson's trichrome method.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Normal beak
Fifty-one female turkeys (British United Turkeys strain 8)
were used. They were housed and fed by a commercial turkey
breeding company. Nine of the birds were beak trimmed with
the Bio-Beaker (Sterwin Laboratories), a device generating a
high voltage electrical current which is applied by two elec-
trodes, one on each side of the beak. When the beak makes
contact with the electrodes the flow of current is sufficient to
RESULTS
The upper beak of the turkey was similar to the beak of
the chicken (Lucas and Stettenheim 1972) and consisted of
an outer rhamphotheca (covering horn) overlying a thick-
ened epidermis. The epidermis consisted of a basal layer of
dividing cells which, as the cells moved to the surface of
the beak, became flattened and keratinised. The cells finally

158
 Anatomical consequences of partial beak amputation 159

a b

c d

FIG. 1: Histological sections of the tip of the beak of a normal six-day-old turkey, a) Low power photomicrograph
showing the outerlayer of keratin (K), the epidermis (E), the premaxillary bone (PM) and the extensive nerve supply
to the tip (N), b) A higher magnification photomicrograph of the tip of the beak showing the Herbst (H) corpuscles.
The Grandry corpuscles are collected in dense clusters within dermal papillae (G2) with the long axis of the corpus-
cle parallel to the surface of the beak, whereas at the tip of the beak (G1) the long axis of the corpuscles is at right
angles to it, c and d) Sections taken through the dermis on the lower surface of the beak 4 mm and 7 mm proximal
to the tip showing a progressive reduction in the number of sensory endings from the tip to the nares. BL Basal layer
of the epidermis. Masson's trichrome, bar = 100 gm

formed flattened keratinised plates which constituted the Beak trimming

outer covering horn of the beak. Below the epidermis was
the dermis, consisting of collagen and elastin fibres, blood
vessels, muscle, nerve fibres and sensory nerve endings.
The dermis surrounded the premaxillary bone which
extended to the tip of the beak.
The dermis was well supplied with nerve fibres and
Herbst and Grandry corpuscles. The Herbst corpuscles were
found in both the upper and lower (oral) surfaces of the beak
(Fig la) and there appeared to be some regional differences
in the size of the corpuscles. Large numbers of small cor-
puscles were found in the lower surface of the beak and near
the beak tip. Very large Herbst corpuscles were situated on
the dorsal surface of the premaxilla near the tip of the beak.
Large numbers of Grandry corpuscles were present on the
lower surface of the beak and these were often collected into
dense clusters within dermal papillae (Fig lb). There were
also dense clusters of Grandry corpuscles in the dermis at
the very tip of the beak. In the Grandry corpuscles found
adjacent to epithelium on the lower surface of the beak the
long axis of the corpuscle was parallel to the surface of the
beak, whereas at the very tip of the beak the long axis of the
corpuscle was at right angles to it (Fig lc), a condition simi-
lar to that observed in the bill tip organ of the chicken
(Gentle and Breward 1986). Although large numbers of
Grandry corpuscles were found on the lower surface of the
beak there were very few in the dermis of the upper surface.
In addition to these differences between the upper and lower
surfaces of the beak the numbers of Grandry and Herbst cor-
puscles varied, with large numbers of both corpuscles in the
region of the beak tip but relatively few in the dermis at the
level o f the nares. One consequence of beak trimming
would therefore be to remove that part of the beak with the
highest density of corpuscular endings.
Bio-Beaker. The histological examination of the beak
removed 24 hours after using the Bio-Beaker showed very
extensive damage. The damage to the epidermis of the
upper surface extended close to the most distal point of the
nares with only slightly less damage to the epidermis on
the lower surface (Fig 2a). A cone-shaped area of the pre-
maxilla was still present distal to the nares.
By 21 days after trimming there was extensive healing
and regrowth. The epidermis and dermis had regenerated
and provided an almost complete covering of the regenerat-
ing premaxilla. This regrowth continued so that by 42
days the beaks appeared to be relatively normal, although
they were on average significantly shorter than normal
for birds of this age (Grigor et al 1995). The epidermis
formed an almost continuous layer over the surface of
the beak, with the exception of a small area at the tip
which did not have an epidermal coating (Fig 2b). The
dermis of the regenerating beak was composed of loose
connective tissue which was well supplied with blood
vessels but was devoid of a clear afferent nerve supply
and specialised sensory nerve endings (Fig 2c). Within
the dermal tissue adjacent to the excision there were mes-
enchymal condensations resulting in the formation of
cartilage and some bone. This process was accompanied
by extensive osteoclastic activity and was apparent in
birds 21 and 42 days after they had been beak trimmed
(Fig 3).
Although the nerves supplying the beak were severely
damaged as a result of the trimming the regenerating nerve
bundles did not develop neuromas and there was extensive
innervation of the growing normal tissue adjacent to the
beak tip.
160 M. J. Gentle, B. H. Thorp, B. O. Hughes

a b

c d

FIG 2: Histological sections taken through the beak of a turkey after trimming with the Bio-Beaker a) 24 hours after
trimming, b) 21 days after trimming and c) 42 days after trimming, d) The dermis of the regenerating beak 42 days
after trimming was composed of loose connective tissue but was devoid of an afferent nerve supply. Masson's
trichrome, bar = 100 p.m

Secateur trimming. These birds wei~e either six or 21 days
of age and, although the older birds had larger beaks and
hence more tissue was removed, the anatomical conse-
quences were the same in both groups. At 24 hours after
cutting, the stump of the beak had a dried blood clot on the
cut surface, but very little damage to the underlying tissue
and little or no bleeding into the tissue of the stump (Fig
4a). By 21 days after trimming the stump had healed corn-
pletely, with a continuous layer of dermis and epidermis
covering the surface. The beak had also increased consider-
ably in size, with extensive bone growth. The dermis at the
tip was composed of loose connective tissue with an exten-
sive blood supply; the regenerating nerves were growing
and innervating the zone of growing tissue adjacent to the
beak tip, but the dermis at the tip did not contain regenerat-
ing nerve fibres or sensory nerve endings.

a b

FIG 3: Histological sections of the regenerating tip of a beak 42 days after trimming with the Bio-Beaker. a) There is
recently formed, highly cellular woven bone (arrow) extending into the dense connective tissue adjacent to the site
of amputation, b) Islands of newly formed bone (arrow) are visible within the reorganising connective tissue adjacent
to the site of amputation. These islands appear to be similar to mesenchymal condensations observed in the
embryo, and are sites of intramembraneous ossification. Haematoxylin and eosin, bar = 100 gm
 Anatomical consequences ofpartial beak amputation 161

a b

c d

FIG 4: Histological sections showing the effects of beak trimming with a hot or cold blade, a) The tip of the beak 24
hours after the trimming of a six-day-old turkey with a heated blade. The tissue damaged by the blade adjacent to
the cut surface is clearly visible, b) 21 days after the beak trimming of the six-day-old turkey with a heated blade the
dermis of the tip of the beak was composed of loose connective tissue, c) The tip of the beak of a six-day-old turkey,
24 hours after trimming with cold secateurs. The cut stump had dried blood on it, but there was very little damage to
the underlying tissue, d) 42 days after the beak trimming of the six-day-old turkey with secateurs the dermis of the
tip of the beak was composed of loose connective tissue similar to that observed after trimming with either a heated
blade or the Bio-Beaker. Masson's trichrome, bar = 100 ixm

By 42 days after trimming the beak had grown consider-
ably larger and was similar in size and shape to an
untrimmed beak (Grigor et al 1995). The internal structure
was, however, similar to that observed 21 days after trim-
ming. Most of the growing beak was similar in structure to
a normal beak with the dermis well innervated and contain-
ing sensory nerve endings. However, the dermis at the tip
was still composed of loose connective tissue which was
well supplied with blood vessels but did not contain any
nerve fibres (Fig 4b). The regenerating nerve fibres
appeared to be growing at the same rate as the normal der-
mal tissue of the beak and there was no evidence of neuro-
ma formation. The premaxilla was growing by peripheral
intramembranous ossification. Cartilage was also being
produced at the periphery of the premaxilla. However, there
was less cartilage and bone formation than in the birds
trimmed with the Bio-Beaker.
Heated blade trimming. As in the case of the birds trimmed
with secateurs there were no major differences between
those trimmed at six or 21 days of age. The day after trim-
ming it was clear that the heated blade had destroyed a
variable amount of tissue immediately adjacent to the cut
surface (Fig 3c). The amount of tissue destroyed would
depend on the temperature of the blade and the time for
which it was in contact with the beak. By 21 days after
trimming the beak was completely healed and the epider-
mis formed a complete layer covering the beak. At the tip,
below the epidermis, there was a dermal layer composed of
loose connective tissue well supplied with blood vessels but
devoid of afferent nerve fibres. Forty-two days after trim-
ming the anatomy of the beaks was essentially the same as
after 21 days, except that the beaks were larger. The beaks
showed extensive regrowth, but they were smaller than nor-
mal (Grigor et al 1995); however, their shape was normal
except that the tip was significantly blunter. As in the case
of the beaks trimmed with secateurs there was an area at
the tip which remained relatively constant in size from 21
to 42 days after trimming and was devoid of an afferent
nerve supply; behind this tip was normal, well-innervated
dermal tissue. There was no evidence of neuroma forma-
tion. The bone and cartilage changes were similar to those
observed in the beaks trimmed with secateurs.
DISCUSSION
The major finding from this work was the extent of the
ability of the beak of the turkey to regenerate after trauma.
All three methods of beak trimming resulted in the loss of
appreciable amounts of beak tissue, yet after 42 days the
beak had not only healed but had also shown extensive
regrowth. Trimming with secateurs was the most precise
method, the only damage being that inflicted by the cut.
Trimming with a heated blade caused tissue damage close
to the cut and the extent of this damage was variable. The
Bio-Beaker produced the greatest tissue damage, and it
could potentially inflict very extensive damage if, for
example, the electrodes were set too wide apart and the cur-
rent was passed close to the nares. In addition, the Bio-
Beaker appeared to stimulate the spontaneous formation of
cartilage and bone within the dermal tissue, possibly
through stimulating fibroblasts to differentiate into chon-
droblasts. There was some formation of new cartilage and
bone when the birds were debeaked with seeateurs or the
heated blade, but it was less marked.
After trimming by all three methods the regenerated
beaks showed certain common features. At the tip the
regenerated dermis was composed of loose connective tis-
sue well supplied with blood vessels but devoid of afferent
162 M.J. Gentle, B. H. Thorp, B. O. Hughes
nerve fibres. It seems likely that small sympathetic nerve
fibres would have accompanied the blood vessels but the
staining techniques used did not allow them to be distin-
guished. A similar dermal structure is visible in the pho-
tomicrographs by Desserich et al (1984) taken from six-
week-old domestic fowl pullets which had been beak
trimmed as day-old chicks, although few details are given
in the paper. In contrast, the beak trimming of five-week-
old chickens resulted in very limited regeneration and the
tip of the beak underlying the epidermis was composed of
dense fibroblastic scar tissue (Gentle 1986). The presence
of this scar tissue prevented the regenerating nerve fibres
from reinnervating the normal dermal tissues, and extensive
neuromas were formed adjacent to the scar tissue at the tip
of the beak. In the turkey, the regeneration was much more
extensive and no extensive scar tissue was formed. As a
result the growing nerve fibres were able to innervate the
normal dermal tissue adjacent to the tip of the beak and
neuromas did not form. On the basis of the study by
Desserich et al (1984) this may also be the case in chickens
if they are beak trimmed at an early age. In the present
study the birds were not examined more than 42 days after
beak trimming and it is not known whether the growing
nerve fibres would eventually enter the dermis at the tip of
the beak.
Behavioural studies have shown that all three methods of
beak trimming were effective in reducing feather pecking
and cannibalism (Grigor et al 1995); the present findings
suggest that the degree of effectiveness depends on the
extent of damage to the beak, with the Bio-Beaker being
the most effective and secateurs the least. When beak
trimming does not produce neuromas and there is no evi-
dence of chronic pain (Grigor et al 1995) it is difficult to
explain the effectiveness of beak trimming for controlling
feather pecking and cannibalism. One explanation may lie
in the reduction in the sensory feedback from the tip of the
beak, as has been suggested by Hughes and Michie (1982).
The tip of the beak of a normal bird has an extensive net-
work of sensory endings which is absent from beak
trimmed birds; the area denervated was smallest in the
beaks cut with secateurs and largest in the beaks cut with
the Bio-Beaker.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was funded by the Research and Development
Committee of the British Turkey Federation. The authors
are especially grateful to Nicholas Simons and John Reed
for advice and Peter McLean who supplied the turkey
beaks.
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Received August 18, 1994
Accepted September 19, 1994