SUCKER PIG LOSSES

Southland Times, Issue 23610, 10 September 1938, Page 20

SUCKER PIG LOSSES

big PROPORTION CRUSHED The average loss of pigs between birth and weaning, according to date gathered by the Cambridge food recording scheme for pigs, is 18.5 per cent. Complete records of the cause of death covering 1741 observations show that 52 per cent, was due to crushing by sows, 10.1 per cent, to pneumonia and colds, 10.4 per cent, to inherited weakness of constitution, and small percentages to savaging by sows, insufficient milk, accident, erysipelas and scour.

Post-weaning mortality represented 3.15 per cent, of the number of pigs. A seriously big percentage of losses caused by the sow crushing her piglets is believed to be preventable if the sow is properly looked after prior to farrowing. A shortage of minerals with which to form niilk, especially when this is associated with constipation, is liable to cause a type of milk fever resulting in the sow being only half conscious and extremely restless. In this condition she displays little interest in the fate of her piglets, and in her constant fretful movements is bound to lie on and crush some.