ILLS OF YOUNG PIGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23019, 22 April 1938, Page 16

ILLS OF YOUNG PIGS

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT A, sow should rear all tho pigs she is suckling after tho litter is one week old. The litter should bo reduced to eight or nine even-sized pigs and thereafter the sow should not only rear them all, but do them well. There are a number of causes of mortality among vounj? pigs which are being suckled by the sow, but by far the most common (and, incidentally, the most serious), is "whijjo scour." The first symptom is a greyish colour of the excreta. This latter becomes white, and is accompanied by a marked falling off in condition of the young pigs, particularly round the hind quarters. At this stage the trouble is most infectious, and will quickly spread to nil the pigs in the litter. If left for another two or three days some of the young pigs will die, while the others will receive a setback which will affect their subsequent growth and constitution. .A complete and certain cure can always be effected by shifting the sow and litter to a clean run and shelter and giving tho sow a liberal dose of castor oil. and also every, pig in the litter a few drops. Always see that the old run is thoroughly cleaned up and the shelter disinfected; otherwise, if another sow and litter are put in, the young pigs will very likely become affected, I have henrrl it said that white scour is caused by anaemia, but I seriously doubt this, as I have never yet seen a case which could not be cured by castor oil.