VDPAM 445 Swine Topics Farrowing

Food Supply Veterinary ServicesVeterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine

Iowa State University 1

VDPAM 445Swine Topics

Farrowing

Dr. Alex RamirezVeterinary Diagnostic and

Production Animal MedicineIowa State University



BenchmarksParameter Excellent Average Poor

Still births <5% 7-8% > 9%

Mortality < 7% 10-12% >14%

Pigs weaned/litter >10.5 9.5 – 10 < 9

Pig weaning weight >15# 12# <10#

No value pigs <2% 3-4% >5%



Piglet mortality• Most common causes

– Laid on: 50-60% of all deaths– Poor viability (low birth weight),

defects, etc.: 30-40%– Starvouts: < 10% (Not a primary diagnosis)– Others: should be low percentage normally

• Slippery floors/genetics = splay leg• Rough, abrasive floors = arthritis, lameness• Unsanitary = diarrhea, arthritis



Piglet mortality• General strategies to reduce piglet mortality

– Increase birth weights by increasing feed intake during late gestation

– Heat lamp management: 2 then 1• Back (first day), One side (3-7 days)• KEEP PIGS AWAY FROM SOW

– Decrease room temperature• Sows eat and milk better• Draws pigs to heated area

– Management: chilling, colostrum consumption







Maximizing Piglet Immunity



Critical points

1. Controlled environment• Room environment• Micro environment

• Crate• Heat lamps/mats

2. Specialized/dedicated labor• Focus on detail• Become an expert!



Establish and follow strict biosecurity plan

Newborn pigs are born without antibody protection



Maximizing through the colostrum

• This is nothing new

– Observed long before immunology

developed - 1800’s

– Antibodies are sow exposure specific

– Other growth stimulators



Maximizing through the colostrum

• Colostral AB can’t protect alone

– The piglet immune system must also respond

* energy and protein

– This is a dynamic response that must also be balanced

– Piglet robustness –size, weight, viability



Colostral Facts and Philosophy

• Antibody Flux and Flow – 6 hours post partum

• Milk levels ++• Serum levels ++

– 48 hours post partum • Milk levels +• Serum levels +++



Litter IgG VariationDay 4

Figure 1. Variation in pig serum IgG content w ithin a litter.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

0 2 4 6 8

Litter

Seru

m Ig

G (m

g/dL

)

Bob Harrel



IgG Absorption by WeightDay 4

Figure 2. Variability of pig serum IgG content by pig weight

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Pig weight (lbs)

Seru

m Ig

G (m

g/dl

)

Bob Harrel




• Important points:– Both quality and quantity count

– Birth to suckle time is critical

– Length of labor – first to last piglet

• Our job: – Maximize individual and litter intake

– Intervention if labor is prolonged

– Effective Cross fostering




• Split suckling – only insures a minimum effective dose to the

whole litter– Stomach tube – stored colostrum?

• There are no exceptional methods of intervention

– litter size = functional teats– First to last pig = < 3 hours – All pigs suckle > 2 times in the first two hours of life

– Minimal to no cross fostering



Sow Vaccine Management

• Sow vaccines that improve piglet Heath– Cost effective – Commercially Available– Small part of the sow immune priming process



Prepare sow for farrowing• Main source of

disease for piglets• Treat for internal/

external parasites– Before moved into

farrowing• Wash sow



Savaging• Sows/first litter gilts will kill their pigs

via biting• Indicates stress?

- over feeding makes them irritable?• Treatment

– Remove pigs until sow accepts• Usually within 12 hours, keep pigs warm, still will absorb

colostrum– Tranquilize with acepromazine (5cc)– Inject with oxytocin



Iron deficiency anemia• Milk is low in iron

– Reserves are exhausted by 15-20 days of age– Severe deficiency results in tachypnea

• Most pigs need about 200 mg– Day 1- 3– More with faster growth rate– Monitor level and titrate iron dose by checking hemoglobins

and/or PCV’s• Oral versus injectable

– Oral absorption = injection for first 12 hours after birth, then oral absorption is not adequate

– Don’t inject in the ham!!



Baby pig diarrhea: Clinical Dx.

Parameter E. coli TGE Rota Clost.Cocci.

Onset days <1 1-2 2-3 1-2 ≥5Vomit X XXBlood X-XXEmpty lacteals XX X XSow diarrhea XVillus atrophy XX XSmears useful ?? XX





Baby pig diarrhea: TGE• TGE virus acute outbreak

– Treatment of pigs is of limited value• Very demoralizing for farm personnel

– Increase farrowing barn temperature– Wean pigs > 2 weeks old place on electrolytes– Feed intestinal material to entire sow herd

• Rapid infection = rapid development of herd immunity• 1 pluck per 6-10 sows• Remove pluck from dead pig, slice, place in cold water

and pour on top of feed– Vaccinate sows once 2 weeks prior to farrowing

for the next 20-26 weeks (one turn of sow herd)



Other diseases• Pneumonia/respiratory

– Swine influenza virus and various bacteria• Injectable antibiotics only: no food or water consumption

• Greasy pig disease: Staphylococcus hyicus– Injectable antibiotics:

• Long-acting penicillin, 1 ml per 10#, every other day for 3 treatments, IM/SQ

• Lincomycin, 5 mg/#, SID for 3-5 days, IM– Topical: Mineral oil (1 gallon) and Nolvasan (8 oz.) mixture,

every other day (3-4 treatments)– Rule-out pityriasis rosea





Sow off-feed for 1½ - 2 days

• Wetting feed• Provide starter feed• Vitamin B12 injection• Exercise

– Constipated (details later)• Check body temperature



Elevated body temperature• Normal rectal

temperature– Should fall to

~ 102.5 °F by 48 hr after farrowing

102.0

102.5

103.0

103.5

104.0

At birth 12 hr24 hr 1 week



Constipation• Prolonged period w/o

defecation– 24 – 36 hr after

farrowing• Remove feces from

behind sow at farrowing (scraping)

– Identify constipated sow better Consistency of feces from

a constipated sow



Relieving/preventing constipation• Exercise

– The 1st option• Feed as described

previously before/after farrowing

• Manual removal• Laxatives



Mastitis

• Inflammation of mammary gland– Bacterial infection

• Warm, enlarged, and sensitive glands• Sow lies on belly and off-feed• Piglets hungry, gaunt, maybe diarrhea



MMA• “Garbage can” diagnosis for sows that are off-

feed, febrile and not milking well +/- specific signs• Prevention

– Same factors considered for increasing sow feed intake

– Slightly limit feed intake prior to farrowing • 5-7# per day on sows• 4-5# per day on gilts

– Laxatives• Natural/Physiological - wheat bran, whole oats, psyllium• Chemicals – Dynamate (K and Mg sulfate)



MMA• Prevention: 10 ml of penicillin (?? value)

– AVOID BLANKET TREATMENT – POOR MEDICINE!• Treatment:

– Antibiotics (Penicillin, Tylan, tetracyclines) SID, 2-3 days

– Corticosteriods (5 ml- dexamethasone, flumethasone), 1X only

– Oxytocin (2 ml), SID, 2-3 days– B complex vitamins (10 ml), SID, 2-3 days



Acknowledgements

• I would like to recognize others for their significant contributions to this presentation:– Dr. Brad Thacker– Dr. Locke Karriker– Dr. Butch Baker– Duane Reese - Nebraska



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VDPAM 445 Swine Topics Farrowing