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