The period from birth till weaning is the most critical time in the life of a piglet. Proper care and management is very essential during this time in piglets to reduce nutritional deficiency and mortality
Some Measures for Proper Care and Management of Piglets
1. During delivery time constant watch should be kept on the mother pig to prevent from lying on the new born piglets
2. Piglets crate or guard rails to be put inside or near the farrowing shed to prevent being laid on by the mother sow
3. After birth the piglet should be immediately cleaned with cotton /dry towels to remove membranes and mucous from the body surface of the piglet
4. The needle tooth of the piglet should be cut after birth to prevent injury to mother udder/teats or amongst themselves
5. Every piglet should be helped and place near the mother to suckle the first milk i.e Colostrum within 10-15 minutes after birth. The colostrums provides nutrition as well as antibodies formation to fight against diseases
6 . Sometime when the mother pig give birth to large litter size and is not able to meet the piglet milk requirement then transfer some piglets to other mothering pig within 48 hours of farrowing or provide cow milk in small quantities 5-6 times a day upto 2-3 weeks or provide skim milk in absent of cow milk
7. Daily clean the farrowing shed and piglet crate with water and disinfectant solution and kept it dry clean and airy
8. Smears some iron supplements liquid in the mother udder/teats or put a few drops of the liquid in drinking water to prevent piglet anaemia
9. In rainy or winter season artificial heating arrangements be make to protect the piglets from cold
10. Provide clean, fresh and potable water daily
11. Regular de worming of the pig to prevent the pigs from worm infestation
12. After 10-12 days piglets should be provided with ground maize as a creep [ration i.e piglet ration
13. The piglet should be weaned by 7-8 weeks depending on the feeding and growth rate attended by them .Weak piglet can be weaned after 10 weeks
Veterinary Hospital Kohima
(Issued in public interest)
