Key Technical Points for Feeding Management and Health Care of Lactating Sows
1. Strengthen cleaning and disinfection of sows during the perinatal period: (1) One week before the sow due to farrow enters the farrowing room, first clean and disinfect the farrowing room, then wash the sow due to farrow one week before farrowing, and only after disinfection with compound aldehyde may she enter the farrowing room. (2) Two hours before farrowing, wash the sow's abdomen, udder and vulva with compound iodine solution, and manually squeeze out the teat plugs blocking the milk pores so that the sow can release milk smoothly. (3) During assisted farrowing, the hands and instruments of the assistant should be strictly disinfected, and hygiene should be maintained throughout the entire process. (4) After farrowing, disinfect the sow's abdomen, udder and vulva again.
2. Provide a quiet and comfortable farrowing room environment: (1) The suitable temperature for the farrowing room is 22 to 24°C. High temperatures can cause dystocia, delayed farrowing, more stillborn piglets, sow constipation, reduced feed intake, insufficient lactation, and delayed estrus after weaning. (2) Keep the farrowing room clean, dry and well ventilated. Generally, do not wash the farrowing pen with water, because a damp and dirty pen allows bacteria to grow and multiply in large numbers, infecting piglets and causing diarrhea. For piglet diarrhea, powdered disinfectant can be sprinkled over the feces, and after cleaning, wipe it dry with a mop dipped in disinfectant solution. (3) Keep the farrowing room quiet and comfortable. Do not casually frighten, whip or chase the sow, or startle the piglets, as this will keep the sow in a constant state of mental tension and interfere with lactation.
3. Purify pathogens in the sow's body during the perinatal period: The perinatal period is when sows are most susceptible to infection and disease. At this time, adding antibiotics to the feed of perinatal sows can reduce bacteria inside and outside the sow's body, reduce vertical transmission, and prevent sow metritis, mastitis, agalactia syndrome (MMA), and the development of bacterial diseases in piglets (diarrhea). During the perinatal period, adding 125 g of 80% tiamulin, 2 000 g of 15% chlortetracycline, or 200 g of doxycycline per ton of feed has a good preventive effect. Experiments show that adding the Chinese herbal lactation-promoting powder (Fonai Duo) to perinatal sow feed has a clear effect on increasing colostrum yield and total lactation, and on improving piglet survival rate and weaning weight.
4. Prevent postpartum infection: (1) At 8 a.m. one day before farrowing, inject cloprostenol intramuscularly, which can both prevent the occurrence of MMA in sows and control sows to farrow during the day, shorten the farrowing process, and increase the survival rate of newborn piglets. (2) After farrowing, inject 10 mL of long-acting oxytetracycline intramuscularly, or when the second piglet is delivered, use 2.5% ofloxacin 20 mL, Houttuynia injection 30 mL, multivitamin 20 mL, vitamin C 20 mL, and glucose physiological saline 500 mL, mixed for intravenous drip. When the last 100 mL remains, add oxytocin 30 mL and continue the drip to completion, and on the second day after farrowing, infuse Qinggong Cupyunbao into the uterus, which has a good effect on preventing postpartum infection. (3) For sows without milk after farrowing, inject cloprostenol and oxytocin intramuscularly, once every 3 hours, for 4 consecutive times, and feed Chinese herbal lactation-promoting medicine to promote lactation.
5. Prevent constipation in perinatal sows: Constipation before farrowing can cause loss of appetite and reduce piglet piglet birth weight, while constipation after farrowing can cause lactation disorders in sows and diarrhea in piglets, reducing the piglet weaning rate. Sow constipation is generally solved by adjusting the crude fiber content of the sow's diet. If the sow passes dry, hard, round pellet-like feces, feed each sow 50 g of artificial salt or 25 g of magnesium sulfate per day. Pig farms with conditions can add green feed and provide sufficient clean drinking water.