sara | April 22, 2010
I am sometimes asked if you should be present when a gilt or sow is farrowing. Some people believe that you should just let the gilt or sow get on with the farrowing. However if your sow/gilt knows you well then she may not mind you being present. It is useful to be on hand [...]
sara | November 28, 2009
When a sow or gilt is about to farrow (have her piglets) she usually lays down and you can tell when the first piglet is about to be born as the sow or gilts breathing becomes rapid.
Here is a video clip of my pedigree saddleback sow, called Lacy, only minutes away from farrowing. A few [...]
sara | October 14, 2009
When I had farrowing gilts on the farm I have always been lucky enough to get live piglets, however sometimes piglets can be born dead but why is that?
“Just wondering I have a gilt that just had her first litter. The first 5 were alive but the next 5 were all dead. This is the [...]
sara | September 2, 2009
Pregnant sows or gilts can be fed sow breeder pellets, milled barley and vegetables. It is important to increase the amount of feed given to the gilt or sow a few days before she farrows.
Dear Sara
I have a pregnant sow That is due to have little ones this month she just wants to eat corn. [...]
sara | April 3, 2009
Well on Wednesday night my other saddleback sow Cagney farrowed 16 piglets which did not have to be put in a box as she is the most gentle natured pig you could ever wish to meet and she pigged them without any problems and no aggression.
When I went to feed the sows at tea time [...]
sara | March 31, 2009
Lacy, my saddleback sow has had 15 live piglets this afternoon and evening.
This morning she started to carry straw about and then this afternoon when I went to check on her, she was breathing heavily and when I checked her teats she had milk.
Her first piglet was born just before 4pm and she had her [...]
sara | December 12, 2008
It can be very distressing if your sow is aggressive towards the piglets. When my sow bit the piglets I blamed myself for not getting the piglets into the box quick enough but if they had been in the wild the piglets would have to fend for themselves so it is difficult.
I think it is [...]
sara | October 6, 2008
The temperature in the farrowing pen differs from the temperature in the creep area.
The creep area where the piglets can move away from the sow should be heated to a temperature up to 32 degrees Celsius. Heating can be attained by the use of an overhead heat lamp, a heat pad, underfloor heating or a [...]
sara | August 5, 2008
Cliare has a pregnant sow but is unsure when her pig will farrow.
hi sara
claire here again well its been a while but still no piglets yet.
for the first time one of my pigs started to lose thick creamy discharge today and all day could u tell me what this means as her teats have not [...]
sara | August 5, 2008
Claire emailed me about her pregnant sow who is swelling up.
hi sara
well no piglets yet but thanks for getting back to me on my questions. Well 3rd august and my girl is swelling around her lady bits and still is swelling today 4th but she is still eating and no nest building. So how long do u [...]
