Keeping babies warm

[cuteincamo]

We have a guilt getting ready to farrow, and we just got two feet of snow! During the winter we always run heat lamps over newborn litters. I was just wondering how other people kept their newborns warm?

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Heat lamps are the way to go when it is really cold. We have found they do OK without them if the temps do not go much below freezing but below that then they really need the help especially when newborn. Once they are a couple weeks old they love to go out in the sunshine & seem to be able to keep their temps much better.

Pigs do not need to be totally closed in during cold weather, in fact that can cause other problems like pneumonia. Just make sure they are sheltered from the wind. When the piglets are born first put them under the heat lamp so they know where it is. May take a couple days for them to find it themselves. The sow does not need a heat lamp.

Liz