What Are the Signs That a Sow Is About to Farrow

Anyone who raises pigs knows the importance of the sow, as it carries on the reproduction and continuation of the whole herd. When the sow is about to farrow, the farm staff must also be well prepared. What are the signs that a sow is about to farrow?

1. Signs that a sow is about to farrow

There are many signs before a sow farrows. As the pig fetuses mature, the sow will also show some physiological changes.

1. Two weeks before farrowing, the udder gradually swells from back to front, and a clear boundary appears between the base of the udder and the abdomen;

2. One week before farrowing, the teats spread to both sides in a “V” shape;

3. 4-5 days before farrowing, the udder swells markedly, turns a glossy tide-red color, and a small amount of clear milk can be squeezed from the last pair of teats by hand;

4. 3 days before farrowing, the sow rises and lies down steadily and cautiously, the teats can secrete milk, and the teats feel warm to the touch;

5. 1 day before farrowing, the milk squeezed out is thicker and yellow, the sow's vulva is swollen, relaxed, and red-purple, and mucus flows from the vulva;

6. 6-10 hours before farrowing, the sow is restless lying and standing, the vulva swells and turns red, and she carries straw to build a nest;

7. 1-2 hours before farrowing, the sow is extremely restless, breathes rapidly, paces back and forth, urinates frequently, and pale 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.

2. How to assist a sow during farrowing

1. Arrange experienced stockmen to keep watch over the farrowing sow in day and night shifts, ready to assist at any time, and try to keep unrelated people out of the farrowing house.

2. Before assisting with farrowing, prepare the dry cloth, silk thread, scissors, disinfectant, piglet farrowing crate and heat lamp, etc.

3. When disinfecting, the farrowing assistant should first disinfect the arms and the farrowing tools.

4. Sows mainly farrow while lying down. If the sow farrows while standing, you can stroke her abdomen by hand to make her lie down. After the piglet is born, immediately wipe dry the mucus from the 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.

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

6. When cutting the umbilical cord, first squeeze the blood in the cord toward the abdomen several times, then at 4-5 cm from the piglet's abdomen, pull the cord apart with both hands (generally do not use scissors, to avoid excessive bleeding), apply 5% iodine tincture to the cut end for disinfection, and when finished put the piglet into a farrowing crate lined with dry straw to keep it warm.

7. After the farrowing process is finished, promptly clean up the dirt and bedding straw in the pen and replace it with clean bedding straw.

Before a sow farrows, you must observe carefully and make preparations. When assisting with farrowing, you must wait until all the piglets have been delivered and the placenta has been expelled.