Why do sows eat piglets? It is mostly seen in first-time sows

AbstractThe situation of sows eating piglets mainly occurs in first-time sows. The reasons are: the nutritional content in the feed is insufficient; the sow has eaten dead fetuses, afterbirth, and raw meat and bones from swill, which are similar in smell to newborn piglets; piglets from another litter wander into this pen by mistake, and the sow smells that the odor is wrong; the sow has no milk or gives birth to more piglets than the number of teats, causing competition for milk and bites to the teats; first-time sows feel severe pain because the birth canal is narrow; the sow cannot replenish water in time right after giving birth, and so on.

What is going on when a sow eats piglets

Sows eating piglets generally mostly occurs in first-time sows, because they have no relevant experience from giving birth for the first time, which easily leads to nervous tension. If piglets push and squeeze the sow at this time, it easily stimulates the sow, causing the sow to bite the piglets.

Reasons why sows eat piglets

1. The nutritional content in the feed is insufficient, with a severe lack of vitamins, protein, and minerals, so the sow becomes very thin and weak.

2. The sow has previously eaten afterbirth, dead fetuses, or raw meat and bones from swill, and newborn piglets have a similar smell.

3. Piglets from another litter wander into this pen by mistake, and the sow smells that the odor is wrong, so she bites them, bites them to death, and then eats them.

4. Because the sow is too fat or too thin, she has no milk, and the number of piglets born exceeds the number of teats, causing piglets to compete for milk. During the competition they bite the teats, and because of the pain the sow bites the piglets, then bites them, bites them to death, and then eats them.

5. Because first-time sows have a narrow birth canal, giving birth is very painful, and they mistakenly think the piglets are biting them, so they turn around and bite the piglets.

6. A sow that has just given birth is very thirsty and has no way to drink water in time; at this time she will also eat piglets.

Solutions

1. Provide the sow with sufficient nutrition in time. You can feed more green, leafy, and succulent feed, paired with an appropriate amount of cake-type feed. Salt and bone meal need to be fed every day.

2. After the sow gives birth, be sure to remove dead fetuses and the placenta in time, and do not feed swill containing raw bones.

3. Do not let piglets wander between pens. Set up a small exercise yard and a creep-feeding room for each sow pen, and carry out supplemental feeding regularly. Once the piglets grow a little bigger, put them in the large exercise yard for supplemental feeding. At this time the piglets have a certain ability to identify, so they will not go into the wrong pig pen.

4. Clip the teeth of newborn piglets in time to prevent competition for milk, and find a mother for the extra piglets.

5. Let the sow drink enough water before and after giving birth. Add salt and bran to the water to encourage her to drink more.

6. If a sow that has just given birth bites piglets because of nursing, mix 0.5 kg of baijiu into concentrated feed and make it into balls to feed the sow, getting her drunk. After the piglets nurse several times, she will no longer bite the piglets.

7. For sows that often eat piglets, tie their four limbs. As long as they cannot stand up, they will not eat piglets.