Mr. Engel Animal Agriculture Swine Management Mr. Engel Animal Agriculture

Breeding the Gilt Gilts are exposed to the boars to breed. In other operations, gilts are A.I. Click Picture for Fair Oaks Dairy Update

Pre-Farrowing Steps Deworm Sows Prepare farrowing area Feeding 3 weeks and 1 week before farrowing Prepare farrowing area Clean Area Leave unused for 5-7 days Feeding Feed laxative ration Temperature In comfort range (55-75 F)

When Will My Sow Farrow? Records No Records? No problem! Breeding dates calculate farrowing dates No Records? No problem! Enlarged Abdomen Swollen Vulva Filled Teats Presence of Milk= Will farrow within 24 hours Sows may become restless How long is the gestation period in Swine? 3 Months 3 Weeks 3 Days or approx. 115 days

Do I Need to be Present? Yes! Attend to Sows during farrowing Free pigs from membrane Clear mucus from mouth Place pigs under a heat source 85-95 F Click Picture for a 4 minute video on farrowing

Do I Need to be Present? Reduces the numbers of still births Still Born Died during farrowing, may have been dead for minutes or hours Mummies Have been dead long enough for reabsorption of soft tissue, but not the skeleton.

Causes of Death Cannibalism- More sow is nervous and trauma experience/ nutritional unbalance.

Difficult Labor May require manual assistance Use a well-lubricated gloved hand and arm Insert into the reproductive tract until you reach a pig Grasp gently, but firmly pull to assist delivery May increase occurrence of mastitis and infection Use antibacterial solution to prevent Piglets may be born head first or hind feet first.

Prolonged Labor Give Oxytocin Speeds delivery time by causing smooth muscles to contract Give 30 minutes after 1st pig is born, if no other pigs born or no after birth is expelled Do NOT use until after the birth of one or more pigs Do NOT use if pig appears to be blocking birth canal Why do we not want to give oxytocin right away??

Assisting with First Nursing Colostrum Sows first milk Contains large amounts of antibodies Baby pig is born with little resistance Increases as piglets absorbs antibodies from sows milk Ability to absorb antibodies decreases rapidly from birth Colostrum provides ONLY natural disease protection until the pig matures

Equalizing Litter Size Sows may not have enough teat/milk for large litters Move larger pigs to sow that can accommodate more pigs Teat order usually established within 48 hours Be sure pigs have received colostrum and are ear notched before transferring

Baby Pig Management Birth to 3 Days Cut needle teeth-8 teeth Prevent injury to sow’s udder and from face lacerations of littermates Use small side-cutting pliers or toenail clippers Remove ½ of each tooth Be careful NOT to cut lips, tongue, gums, side of mouth Disinfect pliers between each pig

Cut naval cord Cut cord 3-4 in from body Use Crushing Action Pliers If still wet, treat with iodine Naval is a good path for bacteria to enter body

Ear Notching

Why do I ear notch my pig? Permanent ID Track pigs in finishing and farrowing Find problem pigs Tell ages of pigs Needed to register Shows require notching

9 9 81 3 3 1 1 Right Ear Left Ear Litter Number Pig Number Assigned value for each notch in the five locations (Universal Ear Notching System) 27 9 9 81 3 3 1 1 Right Ear Litter Number Left Ear Pig Number

Except for the 81 notch, there can be two notches at each of the four locations 9 9 27 9 81 27 9 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 Right Ear Litter Number Left Ear Pig Number

What are the identification numbers for this pig What are the identification numbers for this pig? Litter: _______ Pig: _______

What are the identification numbers for a pig with these notches What are the identification numbers for a pig with these notches? Litter: _______ Pig: _______

Where are the notches made for a pig with this identification number Where are the notches made for a pig with this identification number? Litter: _______ Pig: _______

Baby Pig Management 3 Days to 3 Weeks Iron Sheets Protect against anemia Shortage of iron, which is needed to form hemoglobin in blood to transport oxygen Milk meets all nutritional need except iron Give 1 cc shot of iron on day 3 or 4 Repeat at 2 weeks if needed Give shot in the neck, NOT in the ham

Tail Docking and Castration

Tail Docking Acceptable practice among producers Purebred stock is usually NOT docked Protects pigs from being bitten Cut tails 1-2 inches from body with side-cutting pliers or other blunt instrument Crushing action prevents bleeding Disinfect tail stump and instrument

Castration Needs to be done early in life More money for barrows Meat more desirable

Baby Pig Management After 3 Weeks Start on feed rations Creep Feed Starter Pig Feed Mix Promotes gut and digestive enzyme development Enables the piglet to digest nutrients from food sources other than that of milk.  Weaning Usually done after 21 days

What happens next?