All about pigs and how to handle them

before farrowing, after birth, and working with pigs

What to do ten days before farrowing

Deworm

noromection sq

giev behind the ear in the neck sq

Farrowing def

giving birth to piglets

1 week before farrowing

wash sows and bring into the farrowing room and into their farrowing crate

Why do we use farrowing crates?

sows can lay on and crush/kill piglets

sows will eat their own or other piglets

If a sow doenst have piglets in 15 min intervals do what?

sleeve the sow and give 0.5cc oxytocin in vulva

sleeve the sow def

using a sleeve (palpating glove) to eneter trhough the vulva and feel for piglets

what is oxytocin and how often do you give it during farrowing?

a horomonen that causes muscle contrations and give it every hour until all abbaies are out

what is an OB snare, what is it used for?

An obstetrician snare can be used to pull piglets out

What to do to piglets at birth

dip naval cord in iodine

make sure theyy have a heating pad

what does idodine do?

disinfect and dry up naval cord

why do piglets need a heating pad?

they are at high risk for hypothermia because they have little body fat, limited energy reserve, and no hair

what do we perform on piglets 2 days after birth?

ear notch, clip needle teeth, give 1 cc iron, dock tails, and vaccinate

Ear notching is used for

identifying individual piglets

clipping needcle teeth prevents what

injuries to sows or litter mates

Iron is used to prevent what and can be caused by?

Iron is used to prevent anemia and can be caused by:

-Rapid growth of piglets

-inadequate iron stores

-low amounts in colostrum

-milk (1-1.5 mg/liter)

How to inject Iron

1ml IM in neck area behind the ear using 20G x1/2” needle

iron is thick so keep finger pressed to prevent spillage

Docking tails decreases the incidence of what

piglets biting each others tails, piglets fight for pecking order

what do we vaccinate pigs with

Circumvent PCV-M G2 -1ml IM and 0.5 cc antibiotics

What is Gleptoferron and what is the conecentration?

Highly absorbable iron, 200mg/ml

hwo much iron do pigs need before they are 7 days old?

150-200 mg

What does Circumvent PCV-M G2 prevent

Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) and lung lesions

What are the lung lesions due to?

Mycoplasma hypopneumoniae (M.hyo)

What does PCV2 cause

severe weight loss, pneumonia, pale skin, and diarrhea

What does M.hyo cause?

chronic, firm, dark red-grey lung consolidation (hardened tissue; darker colored tissue)

What is the primary pathogen causing Enzoomatic Pneumonia (EP)

M.Hyo

Define Enzoomatic disease

a disease or pathogen that is continuously present in at least one species of non-human animal in a particular region

Ear notching chart

1,3,9, no mroe than two notches in each quadrant

right ear is crate #, Left ear is individual #

What to avoid in ear notching

notching too close to each other and too close in teh corner of teh ear

it will become necrotic and fall off

How many needle teeth do pigs have

8, 4 on each side

2 on top 2 on bottom

hwo to clip neeedle teeth

place a pen behind needle teeth to hold mouth open, clip teeth half way, flat side to the gum

how to dock tails

mesure ~ an inch

clamp dowm and pull away

do not open pilers until tail is removed

use antispectic spray

What is the name of the antiseptic spray?

BLU-KOTE

What does teh antispectic spray prevent against?

infection, germicidal and fungicide

what are the sows at the farm, whats tehir weight, gestation, and litter size?

Yorkshire pigs, 450-650 lbs, 115 days, 10-14 piglets (up to 20+)

When moving pigs what are the 2 key factors?

stay calm and move them slowly

How are pigs similar to sheep and goats?

they have a point of balance, flight zone, and wish to stay together as a group

What do you use to move pigs and what acn you use to tap them with?

• sorting board to move them

-rattle pad

-nylon flags

-platsic ribbons tied to sticks

all about pigs sight

will stop to investigate items as you move them

• pigs have wide-angle vision but poor depth perception

• sensitive to shadows and sudden changes in lighting

What animal stresses the easiest in food animals?

Piggies, compared to sheep, goats and cattle

Snaring allows for more control and restraint for what tasks?

• blood collection (inject)

• vaccinations (inject)

• wound treatment (topical or inject)

• deworming (inject)

• euthanize (captive bolt)

how to use a snare

• snare size shoudl be large enough to fit snout

• place snare loop in mouth and over the top jaw and snout of pig as far abck as possible behdin canines

• pull up on handle to close the loop

signs of stress in pigs

• open-mouth breathing

-might foam at mouth

-increased body temp

• increased squealing

-stressed pigs are every vocal

• muscle twitching or msucle tremors

• blotchy skin (reddish/purple color)

• may not want to move

• may become very stiff

Thinsg to avoid when moving pigs

• mkaing loud noises/yelling

• running the pigs too much

• moving too many atonce

• losing your pateince

• moving them during the hottest time of the day

limit stress as much as possible

define biosecurity

practices and procedures used to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases

Biosecurity measures

• showering in and out of facilities

• coveralls and boots

Disease outbreaks in swine

• Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)

• Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV)

• African Swine Fever (ASF)

• Swine Influenza