What to Do If a Sow Won't Eat After Farrowing? Detailed Solutions
How to Solve a Sow Not Eating After Farrowing?
1. Indigestion type
After farrowing, due to improper feeding management, or the sow stealing and eating excessiveconcentrate feed, the sow develops indigestion. In this type, the sow's body temperature is normal, but appetite is poor, and the feces are first dry then loose. She may eat a small amount of fruits and vegetables, but in severe cases appetite may be completely lost.
For this type of pig,treatmentshould focus on regulating gastrointestinal function. If she eats a small amount, microecological preparations or Subu 21 can be mixed into the feed; if appetite is completely lost, drench with 10g of pepsin and 40 tablets of Shimu Pian in an appropriate amount of warm water, once daily for 3 consecutive days.
2. Hypoglycemia and calcium deficiency type
Feed intake decreases before farrowing, and after farrowing there is heavy milk production, leading to reduced blood glucose levels and calcium concentration. Such sows show alternating restlessness and depression, lying on the ground unable to rise, and in severe cases lameness or even paralysis.
Treatmentshould focus on glucose and calcium supplementation, combined with regulating gastrointestinal function. If paralysis occurs, use 100ml of 10% calcium gluconate, 500ml of 25% glucose, and 50ml of VC, mixed for drip infusion. If there is restlessness and abnormal excitement, intravenously inject 40ml of 50% glucose, 10ml of 20% caffeine sodium benzoate, and 10ml of compound VB.
3. Exogenous wind-dampness type
Commonly seen in cold seasons such as winter and spring. Due to cold and damp pens, the body's disease resistance declines, and external pathogens invade when the body is weak, causing the sow to develop colds, rheumatism, and other diseases, which in turn cause indigestion. Such pigs often have a slightly elevated body temperature, congested conjunctiva, and muscle and joint pain.
Treatmentshould be based on tonifying the middle and replenishing qi, and on anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesictreatmentprinciples. Astragalus polysaccharide injection can be given intramuscularly, while 30ml of hydrocortisone and 30ml of aminopyrine are injected intravenously.
4. Postpartum infection and fever type ⟦24⟦⟧ This is mostly caused by infection of the reproductive system due to poor breeding environment and unclean assisted delivery during the birthing process, leading to not eating. Clinical manifestations include a large amount of pus discharging from the vulva, the sick pig shivering and fearing cold, frequent urination, and turbid urine.
In most cases, it is caused by infection of the reproductive system due to poor rearing conditions, unhygienic assisted delivery, and so on, leading to loss of appetite. The clinical signs include a large amount of pus discharged from the vulva, the sick pig shivering and being afraid of cold, frequent urination, and cloudy urine.
Treatmentshould be based on antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretictreatmentprinciples. First, flush the sow's uterus with 0.1% potassium permanganate, then infuse intrauterine perfusion fluid to promote the discharge of purulent material from the uterus; combine with intramuscular injection of enrofloxacin, long-acting amoxicillin, and other drugs. If systemic infection and fever occur, also use antipyretic drugs such as analgin and aminopyrine together.
5. Postpartum weak constitution type
This mostly occurs in older sows. The sow is old and frail, the farrowing process is prolonged, and physical energy consumption is excessive. This leads to excessive fatigue, damage to vital qi, excessive blood loss, deficiency of both qi and blood, and decreased appetite.
Treatmentshould focus on tonifying qi and blood. Try intramuscular injection of iron supplement and astragalus polysaccharide injection, while feeding nutritious and easily digestible feed. Drugs for tonifying qi and blood such as Danggui Buxue Tang and Siwu Tang can be added to the feed.
6. Heat stress
Heat-stressed sows result from high-temperature and high-humidity summer conditions, with excessively high farrowing house temperatures, causing elevated body temperature and rapid breathing after farrowing, which leads to reduced digestive system function.
For this type of sow,treatmentshould focus on relieving heat stress symptoms. Baking soda, multivitamins, and vitamin C can be added to drinking water to relieve heat stress symptoms. In severe cases, Chaihu oral liquid can be drenched to soothe the liver and relieve depression and restore feed intake.
Regardless of the cause of a sow not eating after farrowing, it is the result of negligence in feeding management. Therefore, sows must be raised according to scientific standards, feeding high-quality feed supplemented with green roughage. The farrowing house should be kept clean and dry, the sow's vulva should be cleaned and disinfected before and after farrowing, environmental control should be strengthened, and various stresses should be reduced.