SPRING LITTERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22776, 9 July 1937, Page 5

SPRING LITTERS

CARE OF THE SOW

PROTEC.TION FROM DISEASE POPULAR SYSTEMS COMPARED BY 11KEEDEH For tho first three weeks after farrowing the young pigs will be wholly dependent upon the sow, and for this period arc best kept confined to the sty, where they will have all the exercise they need scampering round in tho straw. Provided tho pen is thoroughly cleaned at frequent intervals neither the sow nor her litter will require attention beyond regular feeding. Tho farmer should bo careful at this time not to forget tho ration of bran which is so essential to avoid any sign of constipation in tho sow. 1 On fine warm days when there are 110 muddy pools about, both tho sow and litter will benefit considerably from a run out on the grass for an hour or so, but whenever the weather is wet or cold it is better to keep them confined to thoir pen. Those farmers who have adopted the open-air, or "paddock" system of rearing tho litters v will need to be constantly on tho watch for a number of things which can cause losses or severe setbacks in tho litters. Irrespective of the weather tho sow will graze in the run and the young pigs will follow her around in the mud and rain. Unfortunately with the open-air system it is impossible to prevent this, but its effects can be lessened by constantly changing the bedding, which becomes wet and muddy. The ground in front of the shelters becomes "pugged up" by the sow and the litter and as soon as this happens the shelter must be shifted to another part of the run. Constant watch must also be kept for white scour which is prevalent with this system. This malady is responsible for a very high mortality among suckers. The main causes are that tho young pigs move about in the mud and filth around the run and also ingest tho germs suckling tho sow after she has been wallowing. There is always a certain amount of mud around the front of tho pens and around tho feeding places, and as soon as tho sun comes out after a shower of rain nothing will stop tho sow from wallowing. If milk becomes mixed with the mud round the feeding places this provides favourable conditions for the development of disease germs. When the sow wallows in this and then suckles her litter they are almost certain to contract white scour. I have heard it said that one of the causes of white scour is anaemia, but I think it can be accepted that practically the only causes are the ingestion of the diseaso germs by the means described above. When adopting the openair system, any pools, however small, which are in the run, should bo dug over and the water allowed to drain away.

Symptoms and Treatment Young pigs are most susceptible to white scour from three to twenty days of age. When contracted by ono or two it will quickly spread to all the litter; and if not checked immediately some will die and the others receive a severe setback. The first sign is when tho excretion is grey and evil smelling. On the following day the excretion is white, tho pigs are weak and listless, and show a marked falling off in condition. The only certain cure is to shift the sow and litter to a clean run and to give tho sow a good dose of castor oil. This will find its way to the suckers per medium of tho sow's milk. Tho old pen should be thoroughly disinfected before another sow and litter aro put in. Constant watch should be kept to prevent "robbing" by a pig from another litter. It is almost impossible to make a run sucker-proof. A pig up to about ten days old can squeeze through almost anything. As previously explained each sticker has -its own teat, and the sow will not make milk in any of her quarters which aro not being suckled. Consequently, when a young pig finds its way into an adjacent run and attaches itself to a sow with a younger litter, one of the suckers is dislodged from its sourco of milk, and as there is no milk in any of the other quarters on the sow, this sucker will flio of starvation. But before this happens there is naturally a good deal of scrambling and fighting every time the sow feeds her litter, and her teats become torn and lacerated. Guard Against Robbing

Immediately any sign of "robbing' is noticed, tho oflendcr should at once bo put back with its own litter and tho sow and litter shifted to another run. It is not sufficient merely to put the "robber" back—it will find a way 111 timo and again, and if it should be away from its own mother for more than two days, the milk in the quarter at which he was feeding will c'ry-01l and if put back then the pig will die. Robbing usually results in a severe setback .to tho whole litter, and for this reason two sows and their litters should never be put in the same run. If tho farmer is adopting the ' breeding pen" system there will be no need to"worry about "robbing," as tho young pigs are kept in their "pen for three weeks and bv that time are well grown and any netting or, preferably, closelyspaced three inch barb wire, will keep them in their own run.