Author Topic: gilt passing dead piglets (Read 2716 times)

c day · « **on:** May 17, 2011, 07:56:51 am »

i have a 17 month old saddleback gilt who is not due for another two weeks,yesterday morning and this morning there was dead piglets in beside her the dead ones didnt look healthy, she was still out yesterday and we searched the field and found nothing i brought her in after i found the dead one yesterday so the other one was born dead inside this morning. the gilt seems fine and healthy, normal behaviour up for her feed first thing this morning, any ideas? thanks conor

lill · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2011, 08:35:32 am »

although your gilt looks fine she may not be, it does seem to me that she is aborting these piglets.You may be lucky and she may not loose any more and have the remaining piglets at her due date. good luck

Let us know how she gets on. Nature must take it's course here. I'm thinking aloud here, maybe she has a whole mass of piglets inside her and these dead ones that have been born already, there is now more room for the other piglets to grow until birth. Some times one or two piglets perish to let the others survive.

Hopewell · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2011, 02:00:06 pm »

I think she is aborting and agree nature will take its course. I would keep her away from any other pregnant pigs that you have as well as away from dead piglets and placentae. It might be infectious.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2011, 07:28:28 pm »

If the piglets look 'mummified' it could be that she's suffering from parvo virus. Usually you can vaccinate for this alongside erysepilas. If she's continuing to pass dead piglets I'd call the vet in and get them to have a look at her, they'll tell you for sure whether they're stillborn or mummified and will be able to examine her and remove any others which may still be inside.
HTH
Karen x

lill · « **Reply #4 on:** May 19, 2011, 08:33:47 am »

Hi c day,
update on your gilt please, has she lost anymore piglets

Stevie G · « **Reply #5 on:** May 19, 2011, 02:23:32 pm »

Quote from: lill on May 17, 2011, 08:35:32 am

although your gilt looks fine she may not be, it does seem to me that she is aborting these piglets.You may be lucky and she may not loose any more and have the remaining piglets at her due date. good luck Let us know how she gets on. Nature must take it's course here. I'm thinking aloud here, maybe she has a whole mass of piglets inside her and these dead ones that have been born already, there is now more room for the other piglets to grow until birth. Some times one or two piglets perish to let the others survive.

This won't happen 2 weeks before farrowing, as one lost is all lost as the sac is broken.
Not quite sure what a Vet would do as the entrance will be very narrow, so very much doubt he/she would get his/her hand up.
I would simply give this pig a course of antibiotics inorder to stop any infection/problem spreading, and then cull it(passed the withdrawal date)!!!
Re-serving it wouldn't be an option? The same thing may happen again, so why waste your money??