The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: mel bishop on September 26, 2011, 03:07:42 pm
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Hi, i'm new to the site and a new pig keeper. I have 2 Berkshire pigs, 14 weeks old living on grassland and am feeding them Heygates feed, apples, pears (limited amounts to the squitty one!)but no other scraps as they dont eat them!!! . One of them is fine but the other has had the "squits" since we got them at 10 weeks old. The breeder has said not to worry about it as we wont have them long (they're for meat) and the pig seems well. I'm just not happy about it as his poo is like runny porridge! It doesnt have a strange colour,( its the same colour as his brothers), theres no blood and he was wormed before we got him. Any suggestions please. Many thanks :pig:
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mel see runny bums post below hth mandy :pig:
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Hi, thanks for that. I had read that post but it doesnt seem to apply as he's had it for 4 weeks now! The bedding is fine and I havent used anything in there and the troughs are all kept clean. Also, if it was some kind of bug, wouldnt they both have it?
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Have you been feeding the fruit since you got them ? Were they on it when you got them or did you introduce it? If it were me, i would stop the fruit for a week or so and see if things improve; just like us pigs are all different and fruit might not agree with the pig.
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Is the "squitty" one growing as fast as the other one?
If not it could be serious (I lost two to a very similar thing earlier in the year to which the vets couldnt get a diagnosis and they were both Berkshires)
If they are both growing at roughly the same rate then I shouldn't worry at all.
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If the sick one is eating more of the fruit than the other one this could account for the squitters, if they were'nt used to getting fruit before you got them . think of a pig as a horrizontal human , if you suddenly eat a lot of fruit you too would get the trots. make sure she has access to plenty of clean water and is not getting dehydrated. if in doubt call your vet.
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thanks for the help, I'll cut out the fruit and see what happens :pig:
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Hi, i'm new to the site and a new pig keeper. I have 2 Berkshire pigs, 14 weeks old living on grassland and am feeding them Heygates feed, apples, pears (limited amounts to the squitty one!)but no other scraps as they dont eat them!!! . One of them is fine but the other has had the "squits" since we got them at 10 weeks old. The breeder has said not to worry about it as we wont have them long (they're for meat) and the pig seems well. I'm just not happy about it as his poo is like runny porridge! It doesnt have a strange colour,( its the same colour as his brothers), theres no blood and he was wormed before we got him. Any suggestions please. Many thanks :pig:
Grass has a fair bit of water in it and yes pigs will get a bit sloppy in their feed, give them some grain or pellets then they will tighten up again. Grain is dry or with minimal water in it, so you would expect the poo to be slightly firmer when coming out of the bowel.