The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Porkeypiglet on January 16, 2008, 01:09:19 pm
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Hi everybody!
I am new to pig keeping, but have kept sheep & chickens for years
A few weeks back I bought three Gloster Old Spot weaners that I have been very happy with, they are kept in woodland and the field next to it, they have a very large pen with eletric fencing. While rooting around the other day one must have cought her nose on a sharp stone or somthing and has a tiny cut on her snout. I wonered if this was a common problem in pigs rooting around?
Is there anything that should be done? I did clean it up, but was a waste of time as she was far more eager to get back to looking for other hidden nuts and treasures in the woods.
Any help, advice or stories on your experences would be greatly recieved!!
Thanks
Nick
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My pigs are always getting into scrapes and sometimes have scratches or cuts. I just keep my eye on them to see if things get better and they usually do, quite quickly. some deeper scratches take a little longer to heal, and you just have to keep an eye out for abcsses forming apparently.( mine have been fine). gos are a hardy breed and this type of small wound will not bother them. my gos male bit the electric fence the other day and not a nasty surprise, he shot through the stock fence, causing mayhem and some nasty scratches round his face. after a bit of a struggle getting him untangled he just stood in shock, and i was quite worried. he would not lie down for a tickle and took to his bed for an hour. however at teatime he was back up and curly tailed at the trough. needless to say he leaves the fence alone now. I have left him to his own devices and he has healed well. he was very playful when i changed his bedding at the weekend, throwing straw all over and biting my trousers. the sign of a happy pig is a curly tail, so if your weaner is ok then look at its tail.
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Pigs are incredibly hardy as Carl says. We always keep a can of spray anticeptic for such occasions (ours sprays blue but I am sure other makes are other colours). It does for all of our animals - goats/sheep feet, pigs, cats and dogs - it is always a good one to keep in your first aid kit.
The worst wound we ever had here was when the goat butted one of our Tammies. It left a really deep very long cut - it looked appauling. No blood, it just went through the fat layer. The vet was called and apart from spraying it, said to leave it, it would heal on its own, and it did. You would never know anything had happened.
One of our piglets got stood on by its mum leaving a flap of skin and a nasty wound on its leg - again it was sprayed, we put a couple of disposable stitches in it and it healed beautifully - no scar.
They have very leathery noses, so don't worry too much. As Carl says just keep an eye on it but I am sure it will be ok and the tail is always a good sign of a happy or unhappy pig.
Kate
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Carl & Kate,
Thank you both so much for your fantastic advice! It is really good to hear of other peoples stories and their advice when you are first starting out with Pigs. I have kept an eye on her and she is absoutly fine, running about and enjoying her truly free range life!!
Many thanks & Happy pig keeping!
Kind Regards
Nick
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to all of you, I'm sorry to shatter the illusion but a pig with a curly tail is not the sign of a happy pig .
It means it does not have worms,
Unfortunatly this is a fact, not fiction
tonyk
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Tony could you state your sources on the pig with the tail and worms.
Kate love the avatar :o :D
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the tail is always a good sign of a happy or unhappy pig.
By this I mean litterally that - hadn't thought about curly ones at all but a good tip, thank you Tony. Our happy pigs wag most of the time. Our Potbellies all have straight wagging tails which are never curly, and all of our pigs are regularly wormed but this doesn't make their tails curl either.
When I do a quick scan around, I tend to look at tails - if they are still and down it always prompts me have a better look at the pig just to see that all is well. Then I go to the eyes, are they bright and alert, feel over them see how they react. Wether there is a medical reason or not, it has worked for me so far. Some old boy told me right at the beginning when we got our first pigs "a happy pig is a wagging pig" Call it 'An Old Wives Tale' perhaps, (although he was French) but maybe the old ways are best wether they are medically proven or not. Just call me quirky!
Kate
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Not sure i've heard that tail / worm theory before. I hope your correct, but why do my pigs tails always straighten out when they are concentrating on food or jostling for position round the trough? does that then mean they have worms for a brief moment? it sounds good advice if it's true tonyk, but can you please substantiate it. also do you have any more little gems we could benefit from?
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OH
I am a bit worried now about my piggy tails, Tony can you please reply with more or advise of a web site or reading which will eleviate my worries.
Thanks, I eagerly await your reply
Carole
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to all of you, I'm sorry to shatter the illusion but a pig with a curly tail is not the sign of a happy pig .
It means it does not have worms,
Unfortunatly this is a fact, not fiction
tonyk
Tony I've searched and searched the only symptoms I can find for pigs with worms are:
pot belly, losing weight, coughing, diaorrhea ... nowhere can I find anything about tails straight or curly. Please could you post or pm me your source for your posting.