The farrowing House Flashcards
When to bring in sow?
3-4 d prior to farrowing
Where do we put the sow?
Indoor sow -> crates
Outdoor in arks in deep straw
Feeding prior to farrowing?
Increase feed in later gestation,
◦ up to an additional 0.5kg once/day to improve piglet viability BUT not if sow too fat
Avoid over feeding
◦ Can cause constipation
◦ Predisposes towards mastitis, metritis and agalactia
Why is enrichment of environment important at this point?
-> for nesting bhvr
- Reduces stillbirths and prevents constipation
- May reduce stress
SI assistance at farrowing common?
Nop
Piglet can come forward, backward, or with legs back
How to assist?
- Hygiene!
- Hand through pelvis to check both horns of uterus
- Be gentle and use lots fo lub
What complications might we see?
- Oversized, oedematous +/ or emphysematous piglet
- Uterine torsion
- Uterine tear
- Prolonged farrowing
- sick sow/dead piglets
- Retained piglet = sow paddlign leg
- Metritis + endoM
Describe piglets born dead
- Should be <10% total
- Meconium staining
- Lungs fail to float
- ‘slippers’
What non infectious causes of inc piglets born dead?
- Older sows
- Overfat sows
- Slow farrowings
- Excessive – or inadequate – manual
- interference
- Nervous/agitated mothers (esp gilts)
- Last piglets born
- Low birth weights
- Stress during early pregnancy / implantation
- Disease
What infectious causes of increased piglets born dead?
- Lepto
- PArvo
- chlamydia
- PRRS
- Aujesky’s
Mummified piglets shoudl be < ..% of TBA
2%
Causes of Mummified piglets?
External causes -> mycotoxins
Diseases causes:
◦ Increase in irregular returns
◦ Increase in % mummified
◦ Early farrowing leading to non viable
◦ Increase in ‘NIPs’ = not in pig at farrowing, ie empty sows
Infectious causes fo mummified piglets?
- PRRS
- Parvo
- PCV2
- Ajuskeys
- Mycotoxins
Importance of colostrum? (7)
- Antibodies
- Cell mediated immunity
- Hormones + growth factors that influence live weight gain in later life
- Food = heat
- Vitamins A, D, E
- Laxative
- Induces pH fall in stomach, changing pepsinogen to pepsin
Why are piglets particularly at risk?
- Small size/large surface area means they lose heat fast
- Lack of brown fat (no internal heat source)
- Little surface fat and no hair (no insulation)
- Born wet with birth fluids (further chilling)
What is the ideal amount of colostrum they shoudl consume?
100 ml of colostrum within 16 hours is crucial to provide the energy, nutrients and antibodies
needed for survival.
Describe colostrum importance more specifically
- Antibodies absorbed for 24 hours, regardless of the maternal source
- Lymphocytes, conferring cell mediated immunity, MUST come from the piglets own mother
- Hence ideally do not cross foster for the first 12 – 24 hours
- Later milk contains surface acting antibodies – IgA - hence piglets on artificial milk may scour
- Can measure colostrum intakes using simple blood test – field tests show piglets with lowest
- intakes have lowest survival levels
Poor intakes of colostrum an arise from ….
- Low birth weights
- Insufficient working teats
- Stressed sow / gilt
- Mastitis
- Chilling – vital that piglets keep warm
- Cross fostering before first suckle
- Management interventions performed too early
MMA prevention?
- Control feeding around farrowing
- Avoid udder oedema (overfeeding, overfat sows)
- Avoid constipation - ? Effects of move from straw yard to farrowing area
- Hygiene in farrowing area – wash sows / dry disinfectant
- Stimulate appetite – may use sweeter food initially
- Clean out trough regularly
- Ensure ample water
How can we use creep area?
- Piglets have different temperature requirement to the sow
- Lamp over rear end of sow during farrowing, then move forward to creep. Move bedding
- Shut piglets in creep for 30 to 60 mins
- Can use enclosed creep
mayeb use half of creep area intitially
Describe split suckling
- May be useful where there are larger litters
- Prolonged farrowings
- Ensuring adequate colostrum intake
- Use phone / timer as reminder
Why /when do we want to consider fostering?
- If that teat is low/non functional, piglet growth reduced or dies > 5 days
- Important to move early before piglet is too disadvantaged
Options for piglets in need of fostering?
◦ Move to another sow – but only if she has spare
teat
◦ Wean early, eg into Nurtinger unit
◦ Provide artificial milk, (or cow colostrum)
◦ Forward fostering
◦ Using nurse sows
Forward/ cross fostering?
- PLAN CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU START
- Move all smaller piglets onto one sow (low parity) after 18-24 hrs
- Do not move piglets back, or to younger rooms, avoid “piglet tourism”
- Can move weaned sow into current farrowing house
- Shunt foster, eg if sow dies
Describe shunt foster
◦ Early wean a strong 3wo litter
◦ Move 7do piglets onto the early weaned sow
◦ Move piglets from dead sow onto 7do sow
Options for the disadvantaged piglet?
- Move to another sow?
- Move back a week?
- Shunt foster?
- Artificial rearing in Nurtinger unit (no
- antibodies in milk)
- Use a weaned sow to be sold barren?
- Use milk replacer in the crates?
- Definition of “weaning
What can help increase intake?
Nurtinger unit with larger dunging area and liquid food
What is savaging associated with?
◦ nervous mother,
◦ often first parity gilt,
◦ noisy farrowing house
◦ Large piglets being born
How can we prevent savaging?
- Bring gilt in 2 – 3 d before farrowing
- Straw or other nesting material
- Genotype
- Music
- Reduce sudden noises
- Calm handling by stockman
Control of savaging?
- Often associated with pain of farrowing plus
- squealing of piglets – keep noise and
- disruption to a minimum
- Consider using NSAID’s e.g oral meloxicam as
- farrowing starts
- Remove piglets into box or creep (away from
- sow) as soon as born
- Sedation - chemical using Azaperone
Causes of shoulder sores in sow?
◦ Thin sows
◦ Rough floors or slats
Tx of shoulder sores?
◦ More food / higher energy feed
◦ Better floor quality
◦ Improve weight gain in dry period
◦ Carpet / shoulder pads
Causes for sow not eating at farrowing?
Mastitis
Pyrexic
Faecal colour and consistency
◦ Ulceration
◦ Constipation
Other clinical signs of illness
Vaginal discharge
Piglet condition
Txfor sow not eating?
Depending on the clinical signs:
* Antibiotics
* NSAID’s
* Oxytocin
* Antacids (cimetidine)
Remove uneaten food and replace with small amounts of fresh food
Ensure fresh water provision
detail Sow vaccinations
What legislation around management interventions (teeth reution& tail dock)
BOTH REQUIRE A VETERINARY DEROGATION
To comply with the legislation and Farm Assurance Standards you must have a farm specific
policy for both – this is reviewed regularly.
Teeth reduction in cases of facial necrosis?
- Teeth may be ground or clipped
- In both cases, care should be taken to
- remove only the sharp tips of the
- teeth
- Check regularly that it is being done
- properly
Avoid leaving sharp edges & avoid gum/tongue damage
How can we tail dock?
- Can use gas heated dock – cauterises
- If clippers are used they must be sharp
- Separate teeth and tail clippers should be used
- Equipment should be disinfected between litters at the VERY least
How do we address iron deficiency?
- Most indoor piglets are injected
- Inject at 24-48h, often when teeth / tail. May be combined with coccidiostat
- Too early could interfere with colostrum
How to inject for iron deficiency?
Clean needles
◦ Reduces joint ill
◦ Lameness
◦ Inject into hind leg
What does the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations 2007 state?
