Why did the sow bite the piglet? How to protect pigs from harm?

Sows sometimes (usually more often after childbirth) will bite, injure, kill, etc. In extreme cases, cannibalism will occur and eat their own piglets. Such actions are often unstoppable and cause considerable losses. The bite attacks on piglets are most likely to occur in newborn pigs, which is the biggest problem for all parturient sows to be fed in incubators in their newborn herds.

1. There are several factors that cause the attack:

⑴) on an in-house farm in the UK, when the sow enters the incubator for the first time before delivery, when the pig does not have a stable time. For example, when you give birth on the day you enter the incubator, the impact will be even greater (extremely restless). Similarly, there is a tendency to attack sows who do not have time to make a nest outside the house.

The general feeding management of non-parturient sows by ⑵ from mating to parturition preparation may also affect pig behavior. Having more contact with people during pregnancy will ease the sense of vigilance when entering the delivery incubator.

The abrupt feed administration necessary by ⑶ to avoid lactation or physiological problems before delivery will increase the restlessness of sows.

The actions of the breeders in the ⑷ delivery house also affect the actions of sows. Those who are not calm and anxious will make the pig in a state of tension, and those who work quietly and calmly can make the pig calm.

⑸ for newborn pigs with a small number of piglets but larger piglets, the discomfort (dystocia) during delivery may be the trigger for attack. The number of piglets is larger, and each piglet is smaller and less painful during delivery.

⑹ streaming effect (starting from a link to connect the impact), pigs raised in the same room using the same method, such as one of the sows to breast-feed and summon piglets, other pigs take the same action. In other words, when aggressive sows want to attack piglets, other sows do the same.

⑺ handed over his adopted son. Once the piglet is put in the nursery box, it is difficult to put it next to the sow. If sows exchange piglets within 12-24 hours after breastfeeding, they will react to the adopted son and hurt the piglets.

two。 Conversion period

Sometimes some piglets are found dead, or a part of the piglet's body is found. Occasionally, a little pig may be attacked. Countermeasures should be taken according to the degree of murder. Euthanasia can also be carried out if it is very serious.

3. Prevention of attack

⑴ is gentle with non-parturient sows.

⑵ should exercise quiet management in the delivery room.

When ⑶ puts the sow in the incubator, it should be done 3 days before the due date.

⑷ replaced the highly nutritious formula feed with wheat bran before delivery.

⑸ carefully monitors the delivery process and puts piglets in the nursery box.

⑹ eliminates sows that have attacked more than one litter of piglets.

⑺ does not give birth to newborn pigs.

⑻ uses tranquilizers to sedate pigs that show signs of attack during or just after delivery.

Sows were injected with analgesics during ⑼ delivery.

⑽ tied a mark on the nose of an aggressive sow.

⑾ places rabbits near the sow's head 4-8 hours before delivery (note: sometimes rabbits get bitten).

4. The influence of economy

The economic impact of the attack is determined by the number of victimized piglets. The death rate on one farm has increased by 1%, which is equivalent to the annual loss of 120 piglets on a farm the size of 500 sows.

In the farms where the attack was more serious, 50% of the 300 piglets that gave birth to pigs were attacked, and the total number of pigs killed reached 426 in six months.