The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: jent1964 on August 15, 2011, 12:18:09 pm
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my greman micro x pot bellie had 2 little piglets on sunday is this normal for a first litter, she eating and drinking and feeding them well!(http://)
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i would say natural selection the micro pigs are breed from the runts so not surprising that she had only two piglets
is she in a house flat or field :farmer:
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My gilt (KKxGOS) has just had her first litte and she had 10 live and 1 still born. I agree with Robert re the whole "micro" thing.
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Come on, we've been through the whole "micro" pigs already. The lassie asked a legitimate question - all seems to be well, so let's not give her a hard time.
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My first GOS Sow had 2 the first time and then went on to farrow 8 plus regularly.
As long as Mum is well and the piglets are feeding thats fine
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yes i was just asking a question..... she is in a filed within 10 acres! and the sows mum was a german micro pig and for people who dont know the breed they are very big pigs and not micro as the name suggests! she is not a small pig and a size of a pot bellie like her dad!
I am not stupid and would not keep any pig in a house of flat! I asked a question here as you ahve always been very helpful in the past and wanted just some friendly advice! >:(
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Like i said. My KKxGOS had her first litter and she had 10. I don't know if her litter is normal or if yours is
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my greman micro x pot bellie had 2 little piglets on sunday is this normal for a first litter, she eating and drinking and feeding them well!
There are lots of reasons she's just had 2 - providing she's passed both afterbirths and isn't showing any signs of distress, temperature or 'straining' that's the main thing - don't want to maybe miss some others (but this is just me thinking of worst case scenario stuff, please don't panic if she seems fine & content)
The main things I can think of that would affect litter size are (in no particular order ;))
Age of gilt at service (younger gilts tend to have less)
Condition of gilt (too fat can cause a drop in fertility as can too thin)
Feeding around conception (I always up the protien levels - even with my KK's)
Age and breeding record of boar used
Stress or moving within 4 weeks of conception (it can affect how the embryo's implant in the womb)
So it could be any number of factors really, but as long as she is fit & looking well, I wouldn't be overly worried this time.
HTH
Karen x
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as hh said boar fertility is one reason to old a gilt also produces small litters as does being to fat at service
that is good you are keeping her in a field and a large one
rosemary i was not giving jent 1964 a hard time you know what like i am when i give somebody a hard time :farmer:
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Our girl just had a litter of three (kune kune)
It is technically her second litter, but the first lot had mummifed, and she farrowed the same night as her sister & fostered her survivor.
One of this litter is particularly massive, they are all fairly big &have been nibbling solid food since day 3 once they established mud isn't edible! They have "come on" really quickly.
Some pigs do have large litters, some have small. Don't worry too much, see what happens next time.
We know Maud isn't likely to have big litters, but she's proved she'll make her piglets independent, and porky! :)
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i was not giving jent 1964 a hard time you know what like i am when i give somebody a hard time :farmer:
Remember our discussion on Saturday, Robert? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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yes annie i remember but you are only as good as the person teaching you and every day is a learning day :farmer:
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yes annie i remember but you are only as good as the person teaching you and every day is a learning day :farmer:
Yup, but the teacher has to be a good teacher as well as an expert in their subject. ;D
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or at least give the pupil the thirst for knowledge and the want to do better
sadly our education system now is devoid of these teachers and lecturers :farmer:
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or at least give the pupil the thirst for knowledge and the want to do better
sadly our education system now is devoid of these teachers and lecturers :farmer:
Perhaps some of us should come out of retirement then ;D ;D ;D ;D
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rosemary i was not giving jent 1964 a hard time you know what like i am when i give somebody a hard time :farmer:
Just nipping it in the bud - have seen how it can turn out ;D
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Congratulations on your litter, jent1964. My OSB gilt is due next month to AI saddleback; I don't particularly want a huge litter, I just wanted her to get started on her breeding career before she got past the best age. I'd be perfectly happy with two healthy little ones for her first litter, especially as any spares will be wanting new homes mid-winter - not the best time to be finding free-range homes in this wet muddy part of the world... She's got a big and growing tummy, though, so goodness knows how many are in there... ::)
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Sally
if its any consolation i thought Twinkle was having a football team too as she was huge, in the end she had six huge monsters instead which we had a bit of trauma delivering, however they're all feeding well and at 10 days old they're already pinching mums food so have introduced them to creep feed, they're even standing up on their hind legs to put 2 front trotters in the low level drinker to slurp water! Like you i didn't want a huge litter either so its a blessing she had six, might sell two gilts of this litte but they are just so cute!
mandy ;D :pig:
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Thanks for all your help and mother and babies are doing fine i got someone who had a lot experince in to check mum and babies and all is well :)
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That's great news, jent1964. We'd love to see some pics if you have any?