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Prairie Swine Centre is an affiliate of the University of Saskatchewan
Prairie Swine Centre is grateful for the assistance of the George Morris Centre in developing the economics portion of Pork Insight.
Financial support for the Enterprise Model Project and Pork Insight has been provided by:
PRACTICAL LABOUR TIPS TO IMPROVE PIGLET SURVIVABILITY
Posted in: Pork Insight Articles, Production by admin on May 11, 2017
The ultimate goal of a farrowing facility management system is to produce a high number of mature and healthy weaned piglets. The older and bigger the piglet is at weaning, the higher the gain, the better the feed efficiency and the lower the cost up to slaughter. Management around the farrowing process therefore has a great impact over the entire life of the pig.
MÉNARD APPROACH
- Choose the good sows
- Genetic choice has a major impact on total number born but also milking ability, mothering temperament and weight of piglets at birth.
- Number of functional teats is highly important.
- Keep your sows in good body condition and feed them well.
- Body condition at farrowing has an important impact on milk production and feed intake.
- Respect the natural gestation time for sows
- Give the research to your people and let them improve their practices
- Before farrowing
- Remove feces behind the sows continuously before and during farrowing.
- Put recycled paper mats and drying agent down.
- Adjust heat lamps to a good height and turn them on.
- At farrowing
- no induction, do not use oxytocin, minimum sleevings, dry the
piglets and no teeth clipping
- no induction, do not use oxytocin, minimum sleevings, dry the
- Cross fostering
- Leave the maximum number of piglets on their own mother
- Push the lactation for each individual sow
- Culling the right sows
- Those weaning less than 9 piglets because of a bad udder or crushing.
- Those with a long farrowing process
- Those with bad legs
- The cannibals