What to Do When a Sow Is Too Slow to Give Birth? 5 Practical Solutions for Assisted Farrowing

AbstractNormal position: Gently insert your hand into the sow's birth canal and correctly pull the piglet out of the uterus. Head at the birth opening: Insert your index finger into the piglet's mouth as far as the canine teeth, then pull the piglet out. Two piglets coming out at once: Grasp 1 piglet and pull it out, then pull out the 2nd piglet. Back coming out first: Push the piglet inward with your hand, then grasp the hind legs and pull them into the birth canal. If this still does not solve the problem, a cesarean section is the only option. Overweight uterus: Assist the delivery of the 1st piglet; once the S shape of the uterus returns to normal, the problem is resolved.

Sows usually do not need assisted farrowing, but if signs of impending birth are observed, such as circling, restlessness, udder filling, and straining, and these symptoms last for 1-2 hours without any piglets being delivered, or if 1 piglet is delivered and then no more piglets are delivered for 1-2 hours, then manual assistance is needed.

I. Assisted Farrowing Methods

1. Normal position

First, gently insert your hand into the sow's birth canal. When you touch a piglet, gently hook 1 finger around the piglet's hind leg, extend the other fingers inward to push the piglet's rump, then pull the piglet's hind legs out so that the piglet returns to a normal position, and then pull the piglet out of the uterus.

2. Head at the birth opening

Insert your index finger into the piglet's mouth as far as the canine teeth, pinch firmly with your thumb on the outside, and then pull the piglet out.

3. Two piglets coming out at once

When two piglets are both pressed into the birth canal belly to belly, the forward position and the backward position can be used. In this case, grasp 1 piglet and pull it out, then pull out the 2nd piglet.

4. Back coming out first

The piglet's back is stuck in front of the pelvis, which is a very difficult position to correct, especially when the sow's birth canal is relatively small and the piglet is relatively large. In this case, the normal position method can be used: push the piglet inward with your hand, then grasp the piglet's hind legs and pull the hind legs into the birth canal. If this method cannot solve the problem, a cesarean section is the only option.

5. Overweight uterus

When a sow is carrying 14 or more piglets, the uterus may be pressed downward and squeezed below the pelvic cavity, and the uterus will then form an S shape. In this case, assist the delivery of the 1st piglet so that the S shape returns and straightens out, and then the normal position method can be used for assisted farrowing.

II. Precautions

1. Movements during assisted farrowing should be gentle, and a lubricant should be used. Good hygiene and disinfection work must be done: wash hands and arms with warm water and antibacterial soap, wear disinfected gloves, and clean the sow's birth opening.

2. Under special circumstances, instruments need to be used for assisted farrowing, but pay special attention: if the piglet still shows signs of life, try not to use this method, because instruments will injure or tear the piglet. Great patience is needed, and too much force must not be used, as it can easily damage the sow's birth canal.

3. Instruments that can be used include obstetric forceps and half-moon forceps. A rope snare can also be used to loop around the piglet's head or canine teeth. A rope snare is less likely to injure the sow's birth canal, so it is a relatively good choice.