Author Topic: Pig Handling pen/system (Read 2692 times)

Cuddles · « **on:** April 27, 2016, 05:56:36 pm »

Hi all,

Looking for some general views/advice.
I've just had the vet round to treat one of my little girls, she was poorly wee porker today. Hopefully all will be well and she'll be back to her cantankerous self soon enough though.
Anywhoo, getting back to my point... At this age and size I was able to rugby tackle and restrain her while the vet checked her temp/listened to her breathing etc and gave her a few jabs. Man handling her is obviously not great for minimising stress levels, so I wondered how others deal with situations like this? I don't have any specific areas set up with permanent pens/races/ runs etc.

Thanks,
Cuddles

SophieYorkshire · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2016, 07:53:20 am »

We use a corridor in the shed and put a few bales down either side, then lead them in with a little bit of grub. Easy to lean over and jab then. You could also use a weigh crate if you wanted. Ive used the cattle crush for the boar but wouldn't work for smaller pigs.

Just make sure the sides are solid and use some food to tempt them, pigs are luckily easy to handle, and if you can stop them getting grumpy all should be fine. Just make sure there's always something between you and those teeth! Most pigs wont even blink at most jabs, we've only used a few things that seem to get them growling!

HappyHippy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:03:50 am »

Head in a bucket of feed works for jabs

some folks use a slapshot vaccinator and this allows for the pig to move without breaking or losing the needle.
If you can hang a gate off a solid wall you could use that as a triangular crush, pile of food at the narrow end and once they're in close the gate over and put a board at their bum to stop them turning.
But a weigh crate would definitely be easier - a sheep one should work for young pigs.
I've been lucky and never had to restrain any adults

Bluff · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2016, 10:53:35 am »

Is she outside or in?
When we have had to inject "in the field" we made a crush from two hurdles lashed at right angles to each other and the third lashed at one end but free to move in once we had tempted the pig in with food
We could get our hands in to inject then and it seemed to be ok
good luck

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2016, 11:30:09 am »

If you need to restrain a fully grown pig without penning of some kind I suggest four pairs of hands and some sheep hurdles. You will quickly discover just how unamused and how strong a pig can be.

Cuddles · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2016, 08:08:29 pm »

Thanks guys, thats given me a few ideas for out in the field if the need ever arises again.
She was totally off her food which was why I called the vet. Thankfully all seems well today.

Bluff, I like it! I had the hurdles out if we needed them but not a clue what I was going to do with them... not only do I have a plan now, I have a cunning plan!

Bluff · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2016, 08:16:09 pm »

Really pleased you had success. It's worked for us in the past at least. Hope she soon feels better.

TheSmilingSheep · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2016, 09:15:36 pm »

We tried the hurdles - we had large alpaca ones, and created a small pen against the back of the ark.... despite being a little poorly, the pig saw the vet, assumed 'recovery', and (having never encountered hurdles before) put snout under hurdles and tossed them aside....
Not being able to locate anyone in the vicinity with a blow pipe we all admitted defeat... pig never looked back!

Like the idea of a corridor of bales however....