PRACTICAL LABOUR TIPS TO IMPROVE PIGLET SURVIVABILITY

Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 11, 2017

1. Sanitation
   • Prepping a room
     • Remove all left-over feed.
     • Scrape down manure.
     • Wet down the entire penning and floors, degrease, and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
     • Then wash the entire room, including walls.
     • Once this is completed, do a final rinse, and when you are satisfied with the cleanliness, disinfect.
   • When is a room considered ready to load sows?
     • The next morning, once it is dry.
     • Never before maintenance is done, including water nipples, heat lamps, ventilation and inlets, and any damage that could cause discomfort to the sows and pigs.
     • All crates include a 12”x12” black rubber mat, set directly under the side heat lamp, which is set at 18”.
     • All crates include a back lamp that is turned on 3 days prior to due date, and shut off after processing, to discourage piglets from laying there. There is also a side lamp that remains on the entire time.
2. Feeding Sows and Pre & Post Farrowing
   • Feeding the Sows
     • All sows come to the crates with their individual cards and their previous feed card.
     • All information regarding the sow is documented and is very valuable to the farrowing technician.
     • Information on the cards include early/late farrowings, savaging, history of stillborns, illness, quality of teats and underlines, good milker, good mom
3. Standard Operating Procedures – Day One and onward
4. The People behind the Pigs

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