Marking foster sows on the back with the number of piglets to adopt
The trick consists in selecting the appropriate foster sows and marking them on the back with the maximum number of pigs that they can take care of.
Page 6 of articles about farrowing room
Energy costs savings during split suckling
This system does not provide an improvement in the production data, but a saving in energy costs and a better use of the resources in general.
Energy savings using cover-nests in farrowing rooms
The use of these nests help create two well-differentiated areas: a warmer one for the piglets and a cooler one for the sows.
Feeding systems for managing the feed delivery in the farrowing quarters
Different systems allow the sows to eat several times a day. In some of them we are the ones who decide, in other ones it is the sows.
Use of coloured clothes pegs for the daily management in the farrowing quarters
It is very important that all the staff on the farm can know quickly what is going on in the farrowing quarters, because in this way everybody will be able to carry out the daily duties in this area.
Do we make the most of the space in our farrowing quarters?
It is common to see that there are many farms on which the gestation of the sows entered in the farrowing quarters is not correctly managed. How much space / batch would be losing a farm that enters systematically a 10% of sows / batch one week before than the appropriate date?
Systems for split-nursing on the farm
There are many home-made options that allow us to carry out this so important technique on our farms.
Space in the farrowing quarters
Knowing how to make the most of space in our farrowing rooms is a key point, not only when using foster sows, but also for increasing the age at weaning. The farrowing pen is the most expensive pen at the farm, and we must obtain the maximum possible efficiency out of it.
An investigation of the impacts of induced parturition, birth weight, birth order, litter size, and sow parity on piglet serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G
Supervision of farrowing may allow for improved colostrum intake with benefits to passive immunity.
Updated scientific evidence on the welfare of gestating sows kept in different housing systems
Recent papers found similar productivity, physiology, health, and behavior among individually or grouped sows during gestation.
Small piglets born to young sows: a very dangerous combination (II): Control measures
Small piglets with a low viability are a growing problem, and they represent one of the main causes of pre-weaning mortality.
Effect of high fiber intake in sows in the transition period on piglet survival
Constipation is one of the factors that are involved in pre weaning piglet mortality.
Selection for increased number of piglets at day five after farrowing has increased litter size and reduced piglet mortality
Selection for litter size at day five after farrowing (LS5) was introduced in 2004 in order to increase number of piglets weaned and reduce piglet mortality in Danish Landrace and Yorkshire.
Clinical case: Sudden increase in stillborn piglets and suckling pigs mortality
The litter size of the recent and the last farrowing batches was significantly reduced, and the suckling pigs showed an obvious varying weight, condition and viability.
Nurse sows
As of the 3rd-4th day of lactation it is not recommendable anymore to replace small piglets and piglets with poor a growth rate for good piglets, because it is probable that the teat that has to be used has already dried off due to the scarce stimulation received for several consecutive days.