Tube-feeding milk and medicine to piglets is a breeze with a drainage tube

    >> A common sight on pig farms:

Feeding milk to weak piglets is a fairly common task on pig farms. I believe everyone often runs into a problem when tube-feeding weak piglets: during the feeding process, the weak piglets often refuse to swallow. To address this, today I'd like to share a little trick for tube-feeding weak piglets.

　　>> Preparation and method of operation:

　　> Preparation:

1. A 6 cm piece of infusion tubing;

2. One disposable syringe (or one semen bottle);

3. One 1000~2000 ml insulated cup.

　　> Method of operation:

1. First disinfect the syringe and infusion tubing and set them aside;

2. Attach the pre-prepared infusion tubing to the disposable syringe;

3. Put the collected milk into the insulated cup and set it aside;

4. Hold the piglet with one hand and, with the other hand, take the syringe and slowly insert the infusion tubing down to the throat area to feed.

　　>> Operating precautions:

1. Sterilize the feeding tools at high temperature;

2. Mark the weak piglets that need tube-feeding, or move the whole litter together for easier care;

3. Collect milk in advance from sows with plenty of milk, and preferably use it fresh right after collection (keep it warm or store it in an insulated cup); any leftover milk must be refrigerated, but before the next use it needs to be warmed back up to 39°C.

4. The oral mucosa of weak piglets is thin and delicate. If the milk is too hot, it can easily damage the mucosa and affect the piglets' appetite; if the milk temperature is too low, it can affect the piglets' intestinal peristalsis, causing indigestion, diarrhea and other problems. So before feeding, be sure to test whether the temperature is suitable.

5. When feeding with the syringe, the soft tube passes along the piglet's upper palate through the throat and into the esophagus. When inserting the tube, be sure to go slowly to avoid injuring the piglet.

6. After tube-feeding, the piglets must be placed in a warming box to keep warm for half an hour (because a weak piglet's strength and agility are inferior to those of a healthy piglet, this prevents them from being crushed; after half an hour, the weak piglet's strength will have increased after being fed, and the temperature of the warming box will keep the piglet from using up its strength too quickly)

7. After using the tools, be sure to remember to wash them and sterilize them at high temperature, and then store them in a drying cabinet to prevent bacterial growth and eliminate contamination.

8. It is recommended to feed 4-5 times a day, with 40-60 ml each time depending on the piglet's condition.

　　>> The value it brings:

This tube-feeding method should be feasible for every pig farm; the tools are fairly simple and quite practical. It can achieve weak piglet +1 and get the job done more efficiently, thus speeding up work efficiency. But everyone must pay attention to the details, because success or failure lies in the details.

(This tube-feeding method is recommended for weak piglets 1-3 days old. After 3 days, when weak piglets can suckle on their own, you can choose a round basin feeder and put milk in it to increase the weak piglets' milk intake as a supplementary measure. While tube-feeding, be sure to separate out the weak piglets to prevent them from competing for milk with the other healthy piglets.)

    Of course, this method can also be used in other situations, such as administering medicine, health care……