The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Mrs Snoodles on September 24, 2012, 05:44:10 pm
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Hi there :)
Can someone pls advise...?
Just getting a farrowing kit together and was wondering about iron shots for the piglets.
I have left a barrow full of soil within the inside farrowing area and inside the creep/creche bit, but do I also need to inject my piglets with iron?
The piglets will be on concrete for a couple of weeks. I am happy to transport a barrow daily or whatever is necessary, if this is sufficient.
Thanks
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If you're giving soil, some folk will tell you there's no need for iron - and it is completely up to you loads of pigs are born, raised and do really well without it ;) :thumbsup:
But we do iron jab ours at 3 days old as well as giving earth.
I read something a while back (might have been in pig world magazine, I'm not sure) where they did a comparitive test in pre and post weaning weights on piglets born and reared outdoors - some with iron jabs and some without. This showed higher weight gains and lower mortality amongst the group which had the additional iron jab - although this was geared at the commercial sector with huge numbers of sows and piglets, it was enough to convince me that an £18 bottle was worth it ;)
HTH
Karen :wave:
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We never used to iron jab our traditional breeds, but we will be doing the meishans. Both lots will and always had soil within a few days. I just want to be on the safe side with the meishans. We never lost a piglet to anemia.
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We iron jab all ours, as Happy hippy says for the cost of it it's worth doing and it isn't too much hassle, just a bit of squealing and that's usually from daughter as she gets covered in marker spray by me ;D
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Yep - me too :thumbsup:
Tho ... I must admit to not doing my OH's OSB litters - my OH was in hospital when they should've been done & I didn't really get on very well with the mums :o - so they just got a couple of divits for the first fortnight, until they were creep feeding ok - though I think the mums got more of it than the piglets.
Didn't seem to do them any harm :innocent:
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we have tried both ways not a bit off difference and we weight record :farmer:
you can get it cheaper than £18 but depends on size :farmer:
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Thanks all. Phew... I'd rather not inject simply from a safety point. A bit worried about getting out of the farrowing area super quickly if they squeal and Mum isn't happy about it :o. Our hurdles are high and I'm not errrrrr....let's say, overly agile :eyelashes:. The parting words of that American pig farmer I met yesterday were.....'just remember, they are HER piglets, not yours. They squeal, get out, quick' :o
I'll get digging tomorrow. make a nice big mound to tip in a bit everyday.