Author Topic: Daisy is fat! (Read 3814 times)

loosey · « **on:** March 18, 2011, 11:23:32 am »

I will get some pictures over the weekend to show you but Daisy looks soooo fat!!

She had 2 GOS in with her atm and they look a good weight. I know how to condition score horses but is there anything to look for in pigs?

They're food has been cut right down over the past 2 weeks as they have been moved to a new paddock and have grass/nettles/docks glaore to much through. They still get hundreds of carrots when OH gets the bags in for the horses but hard feed wise they are only on 1 stubbs scoop between them twice a day (about 4 lbs I think!). They are all just over a year old.
They have a big paddock and are pretty active - we also play chase every evening now it's lighter

Should I be concerned? Are Cornish Blacks naturally heftier than other breeds? Going to see if I can find any photos now!

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2011, 12:18:02 pm »

First of all - she's not pregnant is she? at a year old i would expect her to be.
As far as i know theres no such breed as the Cornish Black (check on BPA breed site) she'll be a Large Black sold in Cornwall!! so you can expect her to grow to a good size. My biggest GOS who is lardy weighs in at 300kg+.
Sounds like she's been fed the right ration but you could cut down on the nuts a little if she's getting nutrition elsewhere.
HTH
Mandy

loosey · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2011, 12:50:55 pm »

Hi Mandy

Unfortunately the die hard Cornish bit has rubbed off on me hence the "Cornish Black" The cornish believe that the breed originated here (Im not Cornish but if you can't beat them, join them!)

in fact I think they are still known as Cornish Blacks in quite a lot of places!

Re pregnancy ... funny you should say that ... about a month ago I thought she looked a funny shape. It's not completely out of the question as she lived with the males until they went off in November. They were 6 months old.

My OH said I was being ridiculous but I've been watching her like a hawk as the 2 x GOS's seem to have come into season and she hasn't

I had written it off as she has not changed shape at al over the past 5 weeks ... although if she was she would be due within the next 3 weeks or so?!

What other signs should I be looking for?

Oh no!!!

The boar is due to come and stay at the end of the month ... I thought I had planned so well and that I was doing the best by her. I might actually have another freak out!!!!

robert waddell · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:00:34 pm »

first sign is the belly getting a fuller shape
then the vessel bagging up and her teats getting redder and larger
when did the boars go away?? exact date and we will tell you the last date possible for piglets

Blonde · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:05:07 pm »

If she is on heat her vulva will be swollen and quite pink if she is white, if not then you wont see a colour just the swelling. If she is not in heat, and she is pregnant then she should start to show shortly. Her milk bag will being to fill, but firstly you will see a milk line across the top of the bag. Her stomach will begin to get bigger. If you have a pregnancy tester you can listen to th emovement within or if it is a little more advanced you can see the tiny piglets inside her and the heart(s) beating.

loosey · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:06:45 pm »

I'll have to check my calendar at home. I know we couldn't get our meat cured in time for xmas so it must have been December rather than November ... OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH not answering the phone ... his phone will crash with missed calls before I get home at this rate!!

loosey · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:08:54 pm »

Quote from: Blonde on March 18, 2011, 01:05:07 pm

If she is on heat her vulva will be swollen and quite pink if she is white, if not then you wont see a colour just the swelling. If she is not in heat, and she is pregnant then she should start to show shortly. Her milk bag will being to fill, but firstly you will see a milk line across the top of the bag. Her stomach will begin to get bigger. If you have a pregnancy tester you can listen to th emovement within or if it is a little more advanced you can see the tiny piglets inside her and the heart(s) beating.

*manically laughing* Nothing that high tech at our little farm I'm afraid ... I'll have her peeing on a stick in a minute!! $:-\$

robert waddell · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:16:57 pm »

loosey if the boar piglets were at like the fiddlers elbow on the 1st DEC she is due on the 24th of march good luck
now on a cautionary note here entire males given the opportunity will be fertile as has been demonstrated here YOU HAVE TO HAVE MALE AND FEMALE SEPARATE OR NATURE TAKES OVER

loosey · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:23:25 pm »

I thought I'd checked it all out as needed and was advised that if the males went off at 6 months they could be kept together (although I've seen posts on here since where people have had problems even at 4 months old!).

Good job the maternity ward has already been sorted I guess ... just would have rathered it wasn't a suprise!

Helencus · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2011, 02:06:43 pm »

Our weaners are 10 weeks and we're separating in the next 2.. Blokes being blokes they'll be at it soon I reckon!

HappyHippy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2011, 03:58:11 pm »

Quote from: loosey on March 18, 2011, 01:23:25 pm

I thought I'd checked it all out as needed and was advised that if the males went off at 6 months they could be kept together (although I've seen posts on here since where people have had problems even at 4 months old!).

Good job the maternity ward has already been sorted I guess ... just would have rathered it wasn't a suprise!

The problem is that no matter how much you know, how much you learn and how much you read, you'll still get the odd 'surprise' - cos the pigs haven't read the book

They just do what comes naturally

If you've got your farrowing area ready and it's got access to the outside, move her in now ! PLEASE ! I knew my wee KK sow was due, thought we had another week and she ended up taking us by surprise and farrowed outside. She had 10 piglets, but unfortunately only 6 have survived. Compared with 9 out of 9 surviving last time round (indoor farrowing) I should have known better and (now that I've stopped crying about it) am really angry at myself, but it just goes to show the survival rates for indoor -v- outdoor, especially at this time of year. Watch her udder carefully and when it's swollen and heavy looking try (if she'll let you) 'milking' the teats - once you've got milk the piglets are 24 hours away, her vulva will be swollen/puffy looking at this stage too. It's a good idea to have plenty of old towels for drying them off, iodene spray and I usually have a bottle of Baytril or Litter care (check out supplies for smallholders) to give the piglets a quick squirt - just to give them the best possible start. It really helps perk up any runty or weak ones. A couple of cans of sweetheart stout (or guinness at a push) will do the job of stresnil in the event she gets a bit stressed after farrowing (more common with maiden gilts) and help her relax a bit. Handy if she farrows in the middle of the night and there's no vet on-hand.
Good luck and keep us posted !
Karen x

loosey · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2011, 04:40:13 pm »

Thank you Karen

No outdoors access for farrowing area right now but will get OH to crack on and sort it. She'll pretty much let me do anything I like to her so will have a feel around this evening and report back asap!! Certainly no difference in her teets as yet judging by morning belly scratch this morning!

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #12 on:** March 18, 2011, 05:48:26 pm »

Oh loosey, don't worry as karen says pigs will be pigs, just get prepared for your piglets. If you go on the GOS forum read farrowing in the getting started section and this will help you. I'm sure you'll be fine and its a good time of year to shift surplus piglets (its what i keep telling myself anyway!).
Good luck and you know where we are if you need us.
best mandy

Helencus · « **Reply #13 on:** March 18, 2011, 05:55:51 pm »

I can vouch for the stout.. Karen helped massively when my 2 farrowed early Jan and giving stout stopped my maiden gilt being aggressive to her babies. She turned into the model mom after.
Good luck and try to relax stressing about things will just take the shine off :-)