[Annie46]

Hi

Don't know if anyone can help, I have 4 Kune pigs, 3 female 1 male (neutered). three have been together for 6 years and the other is the daughter of one who is 4. They have been living together for the past 2.5 years. Saturday night the younger one would not come down to the arc and when I found her she was covered in cuts. She slept outside the arc all night and in the morning when feeding was very wary of her aunt, who once finished feeding then chased her off so I am assuming she is the culprit. Sunday they seemed ok during the day but come the evening she was in a fight with her mother and again more cuts and a bit shaky on her legs. I have taken her out to recover but now her and Jessie are squaring up through the fence and Jessie is trying to bite her. My worry is Jess is 3 times bigger and could really do some severe damage if i put her back now. Any ideas what has suddenly triggered this off?
Thank you

[Marches Farmer]

Have you closely examined the pig that's getting attacked, and maybe taken her temperature?  Pigs will sense if one of the herd is unwell and attack it - a survival of the fittest instinct that ensures available food is used by those still fit enough to breed.

[HappyHippy]

Hormones?
It might be that the younger one is unwell and the others are picking on her?
I had an older boar whose temper changed, the vet thought he had had a stroke... There are any numbers of reasons unfortunately.
It might be worth separating them all, giving each of them a good check over for signs of illness (keep the castrate with the younger gilt as he's the least likely to want to fight) Once you're sure both groups are healthy and happy re-introduce them.
When putting them back together I'd do it at evening feed, spray them all or give them a wipe with something strong smelling (TCP, tea tree oil etc) and give them a drink of beer (this is the smallholders equivalent of jabbing them with stresnil - something commercial guys do if mixing groups of pigs) Keep a close eye on them and see how they go. I was always told that biting at ears/neck isn't as serious as biting at the back ends (probably due to potential injury and recovery times) Give all the cuts a good wash and either spray with antibiotic spray or put some sudocreme on them - watch for infection.
HTH

[Annie46]

Thank you both for your answers.
I am fairly certain there is no ill health amongst them as they have been eating well, scrounging for titbits and foraging for any last bits of grass left.  Eyes and all other orifices are clean and clear etc.
Possibly hormones, only Jessie ever displays a change of temperament when i assume she is in season but only in so much as she screams blue murder if she sees a person and will bellow and pace until either she is sure you are gone or you give her a titbit then disappear quickly, i have never noticed her take it out on the others. The youngster has always been bottom of the pecking order and usually if any of them nudge or snap at her she will back off and move away, whether for some reason now due to hormones?? she has decided to try her luck and move up. She definitely was not going to back off (albeit a fence divided them) last night. I may try putting the male in with her - he normally scares her during the day a bit and she gives him hell when going to bed which he ignores before they all fall asleep snuggled up together!  I worry that the longer I separate the harder it will be when they go back together or is that not so much of an issue if they have already lived together? How much beer?  I have bathed the cuts each day most of which were shoulder neck and head (none were very deep in the end)
Annie

[HappyHippy]

We normally use a big sized can (500ml) when it's for farrowing sows, sometimes 2 if they're really stressed out - start with one and see if you need to top them up. They should slurp it quite happily from a bucket 

[Annie46]

Brilliant

thanks again for your help

Annie

[Annie46]

Hi

Have seperated and put the castrate in to keep her company as suggested and they seem to be ok. all cuts healing fine.  There has been attempts to scrap through the fence. the youngster has been guilty of squaring up.  I have monitored all pigs for signs of any health issues and noticed that Violet the other older pig has been bleeding from her vulva, is this normal for a pig in season. She is showing no signs of distress or lack of appetite etc and no objection to me cleaning her up to stop flies irritating her.  Should I monitor to see if this stops after a few days and if it does note the date and check if it occurs next month or should i be worried?

Thanks
Annie

[HappyHippy]

Blood during a season isn't the norm 
Some older females, gilts especially, develop a uterine infection (which I can't remember how to spell...it starts with a py) as they age.
I'd get a vet out to check asap - antibiotics might do the trick if it's caught early enough 
This will undoubtedly be the cause of the fighting, younger one sees the older one suddenly weaker and thinks she'll take the top pig position and that'll be why she's not backing down.
Keep us posted
Kx

[Annie46]

Thanks - waiting for the vet to ring me back x

[Annie46]

Quick update

Have put Violet on Tylan today, vet wasn't too concerned due to the fact that her appetite is still the same but agrees seasonal bleed like that not normal. She wanders around for a couple of hours in the evening nibbling on the last scraps of grass so not lethargic or disinterested. Bleeding is not so heavy now and there is no particularly bad odour. Thought we might have trouble getting her to take Tylan from experience with it with another pig,  but she is such a guts there was no hesitation in eating it in a jam sandwich.  Have got a thermometer and will be monitoring her temperature and one of the others to get a good comparison.

Will let you know how she gets on and thanks as always for your help x

[Annie46]

Final update

All pigs back together - youngster seems to know her place again, so hopefully no more trouble 

[Marches Farmer]

Some older females, gilts especially, develop a uterine infection (which I can't remember how to spell...it starts with a py) as they age.

Pyometra?  Most often a problem of bitches, I believe. 

[HappyHippy]

Fab news [member=143061]Annie46[/member]   
That's the one [member=27063]Marches Farmer[/member] - couldn't remember the spelling. Thanks 

[Annie46]

Another thing to add to their weekly lumps, bumps, teeth and feet check!
Will carry on the practice of temperature taking too.

Until the next "disaster" - thanks again for everyone's input 

Annie x

[Annie46]

Shouldn't have tempted fate - Violets started bleeding again,  4 weeks since last time......................