How long after a sow's water breaks before she gives birth

A sow can give birth to piglets, keeping the farm cycling continuously and achieving good returns. Farrowing is also an extremely important matter. How long after a sow's water breaks before she farrows?

1. How long after a sow's water breaks before she farrows

A sow begins giving birth to piglets 2-4 hours after her water breaks. Before farrowing, the sow will be restless, unable to lie or stand still, pacing back and forth, with a red and swollen vulva and frequent urination.

2. What symptoms does a sow show before farrowing

When a sow is about to give birth, some physiological changes occur.

1. In the early stage, the udder gradually swells from back to front, an obvious boundary appears between the base of the udder and the abdomen, and then it slowly spreads to both sides in a splayed shape.

2. While the udder swells, it becomes flushed and shiny, and a small amount of clear milk can be squeezed from the last pair of teats by hand.

3. Gradually, the sow's movements become steady, the teats can secrete relatively thick milk, and the vulva begins to swell and relax, turning red-purple.

4. 6-10 hours before giving birth, the sow is restless, unable to lie or stand still, the vulva swells and turns red, and she carries straw to build a nest.

5. 1-2 hours before giving birth, the sow is extremely restless, breathing rapidly, pacing back and forth, urinating frequently, and light yellow mucus flows from the vulva. When the sow lies down, stretches out her limbs, the contractions become shorter and shorter, and the amniotic fluid flows out, the first piglet can be delivered.

3. Work of assisting the farrowing sow

1. The personnel assisting the birth need to disinfect themselves and prepare the birthing tools.

2. Sows mainly give birth while lying down. If the sow gives birth while standing, you can stroke her abdomen with your hand to make her lie down. After the piglet is born, immediately wipe dry the mucus from its mouth, nose and whole body with a cloth so that the piglet can breathe freely, then cut the umbilical cord at about 3 cm from the abdomen and disinfect the cut with 2% iodine tincture.

3. After the piglet is delivered, hold it up with both hands, immediately clear the mucus from its mouth and around its nostrils, then first use dry straw, and afterward a towel, to wipe dry the mucus on the piglet's body, and then cut the umbilical cord.

4. After farrowing is finished, promptly clean the pigpen and replace it with fresh clean bedding straw.