Production Tips What We Have Seen Marty Misener, DVM Kevin J. Vilaca, B.Sc., M.Sc., DVM South West Ontario Veterinary Services

Get Back to the Basics Keep it simple There is more than one way to do the same thing. Do things for a reason not just because we have always done it Check your egos at the door

Stockmanship This is an old word that is not used as much as it used to be but is vital to pig production. Simply put, it is your knowledge and understanding of pigs It is obtained by two ways –Knowledge (learned or acquired from hands on) –Experience (time put in and hands on) Every one of you has it so don’t underestimate your abilities –Protocols are important and necessary but Stockmanship is vital to working successfully with pigs.

Herd Performance - Simple What you do for your sows –Get them pregnant –Keep them healthy and well fed What you do for piglets –Control Pre-weaning mortality –Get good pigs weaned

The Importance of Good Semen

Semen Semen drives production in sow herd Dealing with delicate cargo from beginning to end Lots of checks in place but also lots of places for errors –Collection –Processing (extending) –Number of viable sperm –Transportation –Handling –Temperature/Storage etc.

What does an Extender do It is a bit more complicated than this, BUT –It dilutes out the raw semen –It slows down the semen metabolism –It puts it to sleep –It is not stopped –Survive for longer –Withstand cold temps

How long to I use semen? Semen is never better than when it is Ejaculated It is downhill from that moment Extenders are great …… but don’t depend on this Semen is NOT used if it is older than 4 days 3 times a week delivery means very little semen should be thrown out Marathon runner

Temperature Semen Storage is vital and often overlooked (Semen Fridges or coolers) Ideal is 16C +/- 2C (14C to 18C) Fluctuations are damaging Warm increases metabolism (energy) Cold Damages semen structure (cold shock) Dr. Beth Young – University of Guelph 40% of on farm semen storage fell outside of ideal ranges

AVG Temp:18.3 Max:18.7 Min:17.9 Spread:0.8

AVG Temp:18 Max:19 Min:17 Spread:2

AVG Temp: 17 Max:18 Min:17 Spread:1

AVG temp:14.5 Max:15 Min:12 Spread: 3

AVG Temp:16 Max:23 Min:4 Spread:19

What does it mean to You! Old semen costs you. 4 days or less! Poor or stressed semen –Reduced farrowing rate –Reduced litter size You Get paid for pigs weaned – Can you afford to not have the best semen?

Pre-Weaning Mortality

Why? Preweaning mortality –Farm 1 – 1500 sows : 11.2% –Farm 2 – 600 sows : 13.3% Cost (Sept-Apr) –Farm 1: 24,576 piglet born alive Drop to 10% is 296 pigs at $33 =$9,768 –Farm 2: 10,983 pigs born alive Drop to 10% is 362 pigs at $33 = $11,960

Farrowing Room Basics

Sanitation Why is it Important? –Give pigs a fresh start –Neonatal piglets have immature immune system –Piglet have limited number of antibodies from mom’s milk– don’t use them up –Reduce Environmental Load –Don’t carry over problems from previous batches

Pre-Farrowing Sows come in 3 days before due date –The earlier the more accustomed they are Room/floor set to proper temp –Heat lamps turned on day before due and moved to over heat pad as soon as farrowing finished. Accurate and up to date sow card –Need to record all births, deaths, fosters, treatments (sow and piglet) Drying agent should be placed on all heat pads two days before due date

Assisting Sows You have to be present in order to know if they need your help!! Risks in Assisting 1) Will always introduce bacteria into uterus no mater how careful you are 2) Can cause direct physical damage to internal organs

When to Assist 1) More than 20 min from last pig 2) Vigorously rub udder – give another 10 min (natural oxytocin) 3) If still nothing then do internal exam 4) Pull any pigs withinin reach and give oxytocin If sow is having strong contractions and is in distress then internal is needed No protocol should replace stockmanship – you know pigs!

Internal Exams Should NOT be done on all sows!!! Person should have small arm Should always have a glove on and uses lube –Bacteria and physical damage Go in slowly and if sow contracts, STOP –Never fight against it Arm used should be the down arm

Oxytocin Use Is a tool not a crutch! –Gross misuse in industry Most are over used –½ to ¾ cc in Vulva or 1-2 cc in neck Lose more piglets than you save –traffic jam – placental detachment Colostrum loss –In the pit not the piglet

Oxytocin sales Oct 05-Sept 06 (Probst Millar 2007 ) Farm #bottles ordered Sow s CC/Sow farrowed SB rate PWM A B C D E F G H I

Colostrum – Liquid GOLD Colostrum (packed with antibodies) –First milk sow produces after birth –Only there for first 24 hrs –Different to “normal” milk (after 24hrs) –Filled with Antibodies (Strep, Glassers etc.) and energy (keep pig warm) –Starts being made 2-3 weeks pre-farrow

Post-Farrowing Euthanize any pigs that are not going to make a pig (800g or less 50% die) Cross fostering limited to first 24 hrs –Colostrum intake –Teat order and location At feeding time make sure all sows get up. –If not then get them up. –Check to see why they did not want to get up.

Post-Farrowing Cont… Check sow temperature if off feed or looking sick (greater than 40 o C or 104 o F - real temperature) Look at piglets behavior –Hungry – always under mom’s feet –Cold/chilled – piled up under heat lamp Creep feed to piglets at end of farrowing period – energy intake

Farrowing Behavior Piglet born with limited energy –Needs milk within 2-4 hrs (low body stores) –May take up to 1.5 hrs just to find teat Piglets very prone to chilling (need heat) –Born wet – evaporative cooling –Chilling – downward spiral and disease Milk letdown is short seconds –Mom grunts to call piglets Teat order is vital to piglets –There are differences (front is better)

Culling Based on Teats

Processing Do best litters first – disease spread Needles and scalpels –1 per litter (can be reused but disinfected first) If you cut the skin you should be very clean Clean processing cart/table regularly

No such thing as a “Silly” Question Thank You! Any Questions?