Piglet Disaster!

[Pamela]

Yesterday, our second sow, Penelope, farrowed. She had 15 piglets in just a couple of hours. 3 were DOA, 2 of them looking like they had possibly had a twin to twin transfusion problem (if such a thing exists in pigs) 1 was really small, like the size of a cube and a half of butter, and the other was enormous, about the size of our month old litter. These 2 came out consecutively and were both DOA. Anyhow, after she finished, she got up and went into her farrowing crate. My son and I locked her up so she could eat and lay down to nurse, but not have such a high risk of stepping/laying on her babies. At 7 pm, we had 12 babies, by 8 pm we were down to 10 with the missing 2 nowhere in sight. This morning we had 9, with the one she had stepped on prior to being crated, having died. No big surprise. We came home from church to 9, but a couple of hours later were down to 7. The babies are getting sucked under her in one way or the other. I know I have said that with moms this big and litters this big, you have to expect some losses, but 8 in less than 24 hours is ridiculous! I am at a loss as to what to do next. I feel that if we pull them this early they will certainly die, but if we leave them on mom, they are just as likely to die. They have had colostrum, so there is that bonus. If I have to pull them, how do I keep them alive? Any thoughts? My two does are still in milk because I haven't been inclined to wean their babies just yet, so I do have a source of fresh goat mild, if that helps.

 

[TAH]

Yesterday, our second sow, Penelope, farrowed. She had 15 piglets in just a couple of hours. 3 were DOA, 2 of them looking like they had possibly had a twin to twin transfusion problem (if such a thing exists in pigs) 1 was really small, like the size of a cube and a half of butter, and the other was enormous, about the size of our month old litter. These 2 came out consecutively and were both DOA. Anyhow, after she finished, she got up and went into her farrowing crate. My son and I locked her up so she could eat and lay down to nurse, but not have such a high risk of stepping/laying on her babies. At 7 pm, we had 12 babies, by 8 pm we were down to 10 with the missing 2 nowhere in sight. This morning we had 9, with the one she had stepped on prior to being crated, having died. No big surprise. We came home from church to 9, but a couple of hours later were down to 7. The babies are getting sucked under her in one way or the other. I know I have said that with moms this big and litters this big, you have to expect some losses, but 8 in less than 24 hours is ridiculous! I am at a loss as to what to do next. I feel that if we pull them this early they will certainly die, but if we leave them on mom, they are just as likely to die. They have had colostrum, so there is that bonus. If I have to pull them, how do I keep them alive? Any thoughts? My two does are still in milk because I haven't been inclined to wean their babies just yet, so I do have a source of fresh goat mild, if that helps.

Definitely give them goats milk. Baby goats can live on just a little bit of colostrum, so since they have had some I would pull them and give them goats milk.
@micah wotring has work with pigs he might be able to help. @pigs&chicks @Ferguson K
That's all I think of right now

 

[Baymule]

How is it that piglets you want so bad get squished by their Mom, and feral hogs proliferate like fleas?

 

[Latestarter]

So sorry you're having such a difficult time with your sow and piglets... I can imagine your distress... I wish I had something to offer in the way of a solution.

 

[Pamela]

Before the great die off

 

[Ferguson K]

If you do decide to pull them goats milk alone isn't fat enough. You'll need to supplement with natural fats to increase the calories for the piglets.

Larger litters do see more casualties but you're on the downside of half. The deformed may have been conceived later than the others, pigs can get pregnant by different boars and can have piglets in their litter with multiple fathers so maybe they were conceived a day or two later than the survivors?

Let me look for my pigmilk recipe. It's really easy.

 

[Ferguson K]

1 pint whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 egg

You can use goats milk as well.

Make sure you warm it up, we use shallow pans on the piglets not bottles. Less likely to choke, since we as humans can't regulate the speed of milk flowing from the nipple on the bottle. Shallow pans work great and it doesnt take them long to figure it out when they're hungry.



Does this sow have a history stepping on her piglets? I know you've got her in a farrowing crate, but that only keeps the piglets from being under her most of the time.

 

[Pamela]

Thanks! We got this sow from a hog farm, the reason the breeder gave for selling her is that she was out of their breeding cycle. Maybe he just didn't want to mess with her anymore. We won't be breeding her again, she is going to become sausage.

 

[micah wotring]

With the disappearing piglets they can and often will slip out the feeder depending on your crate.

We keep a heat lamp on either side of the sow and the pigs stay under it and not under the moms warm body. This works best in cold weather. We have two farrowings a year Jan. and Aug. and there are way more losses in August. Are the pigs all alert and walking around?

Hope this helps
Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier

MW

 

[Pamela]

I understand the reason for heavier losses in August. Right now it is as hot as most August weather that we have. The heat lamp, which worked great in October and even a month ago is useless. We have been crating the babies in a dog kennel and letting them out every couple of hours to nurse. This is becoming very labor intensive for us and not very effective for weight gain. As soon as the mom starts trying to get up, we pull the babies and put them back in their kennel. We are going to start supplementing today with Ferguson's recipe.
Yesterday, inspire of being babysat through all feedings a piglet slipped under her as soon as she stood up. My son was out there and hurriedly grabbed the babies and started to put them away. Me mom flopped back down as soon as the one was under her. my son got it out within a few seconds. But the piglet died this morning.
We have one more sow to deliver (although we are not 100% positive she is bred) and then we will be done for awhile. Ugh.
The remaining piglets are all vigorous for now.