How to Raise a Farrowing Sow? A Detailed Explanation of the Key Points of Feeding and Management Techniques
Doing this work well can promote smooth farrowing in sows and improve piglet survival rates. The perinatal period refers to the time from 108 days after mating to farrowing, when the farrowing sow is moved to the farrowing house. To help the farrowing sow adapt to the new environment as quickly as possible, eat normally, and farrow safely and smoothly, the sow's whole body should be washed and disinfected. Pre-farrowing feeding techniques
Adjusting feed. From 10 to 15 days before farrowing, gradually switch the sow to lactation feed to prevent indigestion and piglet diarrhea caused by a sudden feed change after farrowing. If the sow is in good body condition and the udder is obviously enlarged, the feed amount should be gradually reduced starting 7 days before farrowing, cutting the daily ration by half 1 to 2 days before farrowing. When signs of farrowing appear, feeding should be stopped, and only soybean cake and bran soup should be given. If the sow is in poor body condition and the udder is shrunken, then not only should the feed not be reduced, but protein-rich milk-stimulating feed such as soybean cake should also be added to prevent the sow from having no milk after farrowing, with moderate exercise.
Removing external parasites. A few days before farrowing, sows prefer to lie down and do not like too much exercise, so a quieter and more comfortable environment should be created for the sow. If lice or mange are found on the sow's body, deworming drugs such as ivermectin should be used to eliminate them, so as to avoid passing them on to the piglets after farrowing.
The stockperson should have more contact with the sow, and when feeding or cleaning the pen, use their hands to stroke or a soft brush to brush the sow's body, so that she develops a conditioned reflex of not fearing people, preparing for human contact with the sow during farrowing assistance. It is best to put something like bedding straw in the pen, which makes it easier for the sow to carry straw in her mouth and build a nest, and also makes it easier for the stockperson to observe the sow's farrowing time.
Pre-farrowing observation
When the sow is 7 days before farrowing, the mammary glands gradually become fuller, and a clear boundary appears between the base of the udder and the abdominal wall; as farrowing approaches, this boundary becomes increasingly obvious. In late pregnancy, the sow's activity level drops markedly, her temperament becomes docile, and she likes to lie down, but 2 days before farrowing the sow behaves unusually, generally showing restlessness, abnormal eating, and defensive reactions; when a stranger approaches, she will make an open-mouthed attacking motion. As the time of farrowing approaches, the sow's frequency of defecation will increase.
Bathing the sow before farrowing
Before the sow enters the farrowing room, the farrowing crate, warming box, and so on must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the dirt on the sow's body washed off, and then she should be disinfected once with a medicinal solution; on the second day after entering the farrowing crate, disinfect once more together with the crate, so as to reduce as much as possible the pathogens brought from the breeding pig house.
Farrowing assistance and tools
Before the sow farrows, prepare the tools and items needed for farrowing, such as iodine tincture and alcohol for disinfection, a box for holding the piglets, a flashlight and lighting lamp for illumination, heating equipment such as an electric heater or stove and infrared lamps, a wiping cloth for delivering, ear tag pliers for ear tagging, pliers for teeth clipping, and a scale for weighing the piglets.
Care of the farrowing sow
After the sow farrows, the reproductive tract is still open, her strength is weakened, and her resistance declines, making her susceptible to infection by pathogenic microorganisms that cause disease, so necessary health care measures should be taken.
Feeding methods for sows after farrowing
The feed intake of a sow after farrowing directly affects the piglets' survival rate, weaning weight, and the sow's return to estrus after weaning. Generally, it is based on the sow's appetite, body condition, and parity, using wet mixed feed; in summer, the number of feedings can be increased to raise feed intake during lactation and reduce weight loss during lactation; feed intake during lactation should be controlled at more than 6 kg, and the sow after farrowing should be fed 200 grams of brown sugar per day, 2 times a day, for 10 consecutive days, which helps the sow recover her strength and expel lochia.