C9; Raising piglets and weaning Flashcards
what are piglets born with and without internally?
-> Born WITHOUT antibodies → colostrum is important
-> Their bodies contain fat energy sources for about one day, not able to regulate internal body temperature for a few days.
what are the 2 types of newborn piglets?
- Normal: Quick birth, on feet quickly and start suckling (15 mins) usually no assistance needed.
- Disadvantaged:
◦ Weakened by birth/ at birth
◦ Light weight
◦ Congenital defects
◦ Slow reaching the udder
◦ Chilled
◦ EX: Oxygen deprived, Physical trauma, Defect- splaying legs (genetic, can happen due to a number of reasons before birth, can also happen if floors are slippy).
what can improve a newborn piglet at birth?
attending/assisted farrowing, prevent chilling, suckling period for half of litter group, removing strongest piglet to let others eat, give sow oxytocin when removing.
how frequent are deaths of piglets?
Deaths are frequent ~ 5-10% → If 12 born; 11 born alive; on 21st day only 10 living
what happens on Day 1 of piglet life
● Bonhams are born in the farrowing crate which is 30C degrees. The floor of the farrowing crate should be disinfected using hydrated lime before farrowing.
● The bonhams teeth are clipped to prevent damage to sows teats and to other bonhams.
● Tails are docked to prevent tail biting among piglets and they can also interfere in breeding.
* umbilical cord is disinfected.
● Bonhams are given soluble iron injection (200mg) to prevent anemia, as mother’s milk is usually lacking in iron.
● Piglets are batched to try and have an equal number of bonhams to each sow.
* vaccinated against coccidiosis
* piglets are tagged -> ear notch, tag, tattoo.
*castration of larger males (smaller males wait until 4 - 14 days).
* treat piglets suffering from splayed legs (tape legs, no slippy floors).
- birth weight is measured: 1.2 . 2kg (NB for sow prolificacy)
What happens on day 10 of piglet life?
Bonhams are vaccinated against pneumonia
what happens on day 14 of piglet life?
● A pellet-form creep ration is introduced , containing lysine - an essential Aa.
● Suitable gilts thought to be possible replacement gilts for breeding are ear notched.
what happens on day 26 of piglets life
● Bonhams are re vaccinated against pneumonia - respiratory diseases are highly common in pigs
what happens on day 28 of piglet life?
Bonhams are weaned from the mother.
Mother returns to service house.
Piglets go to the weanling house.
Water and feed hygiene: piglets very susceptible to infection after weaning, so measurements to reduce the risk of contact with pathogens are crucial; Starting with food and water; There is risk of oral infection by contaminated feces, other pigs etc.
When moved to nursery room should be cleaned & disinfected → dry after cleaning.
what happens in weeks 4 - 6 in the piglets life?
● Stage 1 - Weaner house @30C degrees and gradually decreased to 24C degrees.
● Fed high energy wet mix ration, it is constantly available.
● Batched according to size and in equal groups for spacing (0.2sq.m each). however, should try to keep piglets from same litter together: mixing litters increases risk of Actinobacillus
pleuropneumoniae (APP) & streptococcus suis, especially around weaning; Can also lead to stress due to hierarchies.
what happens in weeks 8 - 12 of a piglets life?
● Stage 2 - Kept at 24 degrees and fed a lower energy wet mix ration ad lib.
what happens in weeks 12 - 26 of the piglets life?
● Moved to fattening house, kept at 22 degrees and fed a lower energy feed 6 times daily.
● Amount of feed decreased accordingly with growth rate.
● Gilts intended to be replacement gilts are moved to the dry sow house with breeding sows.
● At 26 weeks the fatteners are sent to the slaughterhouse.
