The birthing process of a piglet
Scott Phillips, a pig farmer from Missouri, shows how he pays individual attention to the mother pigs as they give birth to their piglets.
Page 6 of articles about farrowing room
At long last, we can now predict a sow's performance from her first farrowing
We can predict a sow's production based on the number of piglets born alive at first farrowing. In addition, the best sows' performance will outdo the others' continuously.
Milk replacements
The use of milk replacers is helpful, both to increase the number of weaned piglets and to simplify the management of nurse sows.
When the farrowing pen is small, we invent a nest
This trick consists in creating a nest using the crates back corridor.
Outcomes of gestation length in relation to farrowing performance in sows and daily weight gain and metabolic profiles in piglets
In conclusion, premature births increase the number of intra-partum deaths and result in lower birthweights, the presence of apnoea, and severe metabolic alterations in piglets.
Creep feeding and lactation length
The objective of supplementing piglets with creep feeds is to reduce the number of under-developed animals during the first days after weaning and, albeit with some differences, it is beneficial for both 21-day and 28-day lactations.
Relative prolactin-to-progesterone concentrations around farrowing influence colostrum yield in primiparous sows
In conclusion, a greater PRL/P4 ratio 24 h prepartum, characterized by lower P4 concentrations and a trend for greater PRL concentrations peripartum, led to increased colostrum yield in primiparous sows.
Farrowing quarters: notes on the card wrapped in a plastic bag
Wrap the sow's card in a clear plastic bag and write down the data with a thick marker
New section: Piglet care
The period from birth to the nursery is the most sensitive one in the life of a pig.
Prepartum nest-building has an impact on postpartum nursing performance and maternal behaviour in early lactating sows
It appears that nest-building behaviour in prepartum sows could be enhanced by the provision of nesting materials. This, coupled with elevated oxytocin and prolactin concentrations, could result in improved postpartum nursing performance and maternal behaviour in early lactating sows.
Farrowing pens for the future
To Jyden it is primarily essential that the design is focused on a farrowing pen (for loose sows) with the possibility to use the integrated protection wings – and not just to open a traditional farrowing crate.
Control of feeding with a chart wrapped around the water pipe
The goal is to record the sows' feeding level when fed manually.
Coloured clothes pegs to identify the sow's production stage
The goal is to know the production stage of gestating sows in a quick and visual way.
The importance of the sow's feed intake and the weaned piglet's weight
The most productive farms are not always the best. We must also bear in mind the weaned piglet's weight and the sow's feed intake.
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.
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.