PIGLET MANAGEMENT - 2
(Birth to Weaning)
• Avoid moving individual piglets around.
Identify and move fall-outs by 5-7 d of age.
Otherwise leave them put.
• What is a fall-out?
What is a fall-out?
• Other names
Fall-backs, runts
• Smaller, less active
piglet
• 2 to 7 days of age
What is a fall-out?
• Bony and angular
• Flat belly
• Loose skin
• Hairy
Fall-outs
• Nursing a poor producing
teat
• Shy, non-aggressive
pig missing feedings
• Many flourish with
better milk access
Several fall-outs
Teat problems
Teat access
Dealing with poor milk supply
• Several pigs in litter affected
􀂄 Treat for mastitis
􀂄 Milk replacer
􀂄 Creep feed
• Single pig in litter (i. e., fall-back)
􀂄 Many will flourish with more milk
􀂄 Nurse sows
A fall-out to move
• Doesn’t join littermates
to nurse
• Not selected a teat
• Shy, timid
• 10 littermates
Key points
• Avoid moving individual fall-backs
• Move 8 to 10 fall-backs at once to a nurse
sow
• Identify and move fall-backs by 5-7 day of age
• Otherwise leave them put
WEANING WEIGHT - Targets
• 8 kg if weaned at 4 weeks
• 6 kg if weaned at 3 weeks
• > 4 kg if weaned at 17 days
If poor check:
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Litter size
Birth weight
Sow condition/ feed intake / milk production
Cross fostering
Creep feeding management
Health, hygiene, environment
Feed Intake In Newly Weaned Piglets
• On the sow piglets eat > 12 times a day:
-Frequent small meals
• On the sow piglets eat together:
-Plenty of feeder space, no separation of
feeder spaces
• Pigs have a tremendous sense of smell:
-Clean feeders
-Frequently remove stale feed
Piglet Diseases
• Frequently observe pigs for signs of disease so
prompt treatment is possible
• congenital defect seen is herniation (2%),
followed by cryptorchidism (1-2%
Diarrhea (scours) and dehydration
A dehydrated piglet
Diarrhea (scours)
Normal, bright yellow,
solid fecal material
E. coli
• Should affect < 3% of litters
• Mostly 1-5 days of age
• Main defense
-Antibiotics in milk
• Treat entire litter with antibiotics
-Gentamicin
-Spectinomycin
• Access to water
Difficulty walking and standing,
trembling or comatose
• Hypoglycemia
-Low blood sugar
• Streptococcus suis
-Strep suis
-Strep meningitis
Swollen hock joint
Swollen joints
• Bacterial infection
• Identify/treat early
-Penicillin
• Severely swollen
-Treatment ineffective
-Euthanize
Other conditions
Vomiting
Rough hair coat,
sluggishness, huddling
Greasy, Sticky and Dirty Skin
• Staphylococcus hyicus
invades skin
• Antibiotic therapy when
symptoms appear
• Wash piglet; treat
topically
• Minimize cuts in skin and
dirty equipment
Some Disadvantaged Pigs
Should Be Euthanized
Acceptable: Barbiturates, CO2, potassium chloride in conjunction with
general anesthesia, penetrating captive bolt
Conditional: Inhalant anesthetics, CO, chloral hydrate (IV, after
sedation), gunshot, electrocution, blow to the head (< 3 weeks of age)
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Carbon dioxide
Electrocution
Anesthetic overdose
Blunt trauma
Practicing proper euthanasia
techniques that are appropriate
for the size of the pig is one
of the single most important
elements to responsibly
address animal welfare.
National Pork Board
P.O. Box 9114
Des Moines, IA 50306 USA
PHONE: (515) 223-2600
FAX: (515) 223-2646
E-MAIL:
porkboard@porkboard.org
WEB: http://www.porkboard.org
Dead pig/placenta disposal
• Remove dead pigs/placenta promptly
Incineration
Questions?
References
• http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/swine/bio/g
row/nursing/hm.html
• http://www.ncsu.edu/project/swine_extensio
n/ncporkconf/2002/lay.htm
• http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/
default.asp