The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Helencus on February 11, 2011, 12:41:52 pm
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As per title what should I be looking for other than they're 7/8 weeks old? Moms still generally ok but kims patience is sometimes worn with hers. Now they're all in together I will have to wean both litters at the same time so would value others experience here as don't want to stress aggie if do too early but also don't want Kim losing it... She gets a bit aggressive about her food with piglets and Aggie but she always was greedy and the dominant sow.
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I always aim for eight weeks, but if the sow is getting fed up and stroppy, I sometimes wean earlier - at about six. You can usually gauge if she's ready for them to go by the amount of time she lets them suckle. They often start weaning the piglets themselves, restricting milk and so making the piglets eat more solid food.
My only proviso before weaning is that they are all eating solid food and looking fit and healthy. Good luck.
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Weaning considerations - 6 factors spring to mind
- Condition of piglets
- Are piglets eating well
- Age of piglets
- Condition of sow
- Plan for sow
- Plan for piglets
Condition of piglets - are they all strong and healthy, running around and investigating?
Are piglets eating well - Are they eating OK, keen to nose around and eat either weaner pellets or what mum is eating? ie will they do well when milk is not available
Age of Piglets - As you may know commercials wean at anything from 3 weeks of age, but this is to specialist pellets. We wean from around 6 weeks, but depends on all the other factors in this list as to whether to go later or rarely earlier.
Condition of sow - is the sow has lost or is losing lots of condition, or are her teats suffering from increased competition as piglets get larger? Then you need to consider weaning earlier, rather than later, if she is fine and you have no plans, then no reason why you should leave longer
Plan for sow - if you don't intend to re-mate her immediately, then weaning is only needed if it benefits her (condition issues above), or the piglets welfare (she is getting fed up with them, and chucking them around) otherwise piglets will continue to take milk, and she will naturally wean around 16 weeks - which is after all what nature does.
Plan for piglets - we generally like to sell piglets that have been weaned from mum for a few days, so that we are happy that they are fully independent, and gives you confidence that you are selling a viable product!
So looking at the above, wean if you have plans for the sow, or if piglets will benefit, or if sow will benefit, or for selling, but otherwise no desperate rush. If you have a few weaker ones, you can partially wean, taking off some stronger ones to relieve pressure on sow, whilst giving the weaker ones a better chance.
So in your case, it sounds like weaning would benefit Kim, if she is getting fed up with them, and at 7-8 weeks old they will be strong enough if they and mum are average, but go through the list above and make a final decision.