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Due to the genetic improvement seen in the last years, the current sows' prolificacy has increased considerably. The so-called 'hyperprolific sows' farrow a high number of piglets, so the monitoring of all the factors that have to do with the farrowing gains more importance than it already had.
Newborn piglet
The monitorng of farrowings requires a certain degree of experience in order to know the mechanisms that trigger it, as well as the actions that must be carried out depending on the situation.
A very simple aid for establishing if the moment to help during a farrowing has come is this card with the shape of a watch.
Watch for the monitoring of farrowings
This watch has three circles: the blue one represents the hours, the green one the liveborn piglets, and the inner red circle the stillborn piglets.
In this very simple way we can monitor the situation of the farrowing, so, each time we monitor the sow we will move the circles that have suffered changes.
If we only move the hours' circle and we do not have to move the liveborn nor the stilborn piglets' circles, this can be a sign that we have to help the sow. The same could happen if, when monitoring the sow, we only move the hours' and stillborn piglets' circles. We will be facing a normal farrowing if when coming back to monitor the sow we move the hours' and the liveborn piglets' circles. Once the farrowing has ended we will be able to move away the watch and use it with another sow.
This simple aid helps us to monitor the farrowing and its evolution.
The farrowing is a moment during which we must be as attentive as possible in order to reduce to the maximum the number of stillborn piglets. This tool can be of great help to attain our goals.
