6 Pro Tips for Your 1st Farrowing. What I do to Promote Success.

After many Meishan hog farrowings, I've learned a lot about how to handle them. 

I was talking to a fellow AMBA member, Nikki, about her first hog farrowing...ever...and want to share my top 5 tips I shared with her with you too.

Here goes!

1. You know she's close when your hogs who-ha (technical term!) shows discharge. 
2. From that point, nesting will begin soon. At the point of nesting, it'll all be over in 24 hours, maybe even as few as 6!
3. Farrowing rails are great and very helpful. Solid walls where there's no where for a piglet to go when mom lays down are not ideal.
4. Bedding - keep it to a minimum. Think of it like this...you want her to feel a piglet if she starts to lay down on them. 
5. Once the piglets are born, dip the umbilical cords in betadine. This will prevent cooties from traveling up the cord. 
6. Powerade - I will never be without this on my farm! In extreme weather conditions or with weak piglets, this can save your stock! Add it to moms water anytime before or after farrowing, especially in extreme weather. 

Although my focus is on the registered Meishan, these practices apply to any breed of pig.

Tell me what you would add to this!

~laura