The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: happy larry on February 26, 2012, 10:17:05 pm
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Today my saddleback sow had her 2nd litter,but 1 piglet was born deformed its front legs would not straighten out,it looked like a dolphin.Has anyone else experienced this before,if so what is the cause.Secondly the umbilical cords on all the piglets were really long over 12 inches maybe 18.Any suggestions,inbreeding can be ruled out as the sow is a saddle back and the boar was a large white pietran.
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Can't really comment on the deformed piglet - it may be worth going back to her breeder & the owner/breeder of the boar, it could just be one of those things - I've not come across it myself.
Re the umbilical cords, it sounds quite normal to me, my KKs have often had cords over a foot long. I suppose it's to do with the position of the growing embryo compared to the placenta.
If you get a definative answer about the cords, please post it on here, I'm guessing not many folks have experienced it.
:love: :pig: :love:
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the cords are long was the piglet living or dead :farmer:
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Not to alarm you, but the schmallenberg virus seems to be causing this in lambs (leg joints are deformed and the lambs can't straighten their legs - it's causing all sorts of bother with lambing) but I don't know if the disease even has an effect on pigs - so it could just be complete coincidence.
Does you sow show any signs of problems ? Or signs of erysepilas ? - this can cause joint problems too.
Long umbilical cords isn't anything unusual :thumbsup: You can trim them at birth if you really want to (sterilised round ended scissors, trim no shorter than 6 inches) but I always find mine's drop off by day 2 or 3 anyway.
HTH
Karen :wave:
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Smallemburg does not affect pigs (midges can't get through the skin).
Deformed happens in all animals and we have in tye past occasionally got a deformed piglet.
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Smallemburg does not affect pigs (midges can't get through the skin).
Deformed happens in all animals and we have in tye past occasionally got a deformed piglet.
Glad you've answered that Robin :thumbsup:
I'd just seen your other post and was going to message you to ask ;)
Karen :wave:
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if the lenght of the cord alarms you just tie it with string we had one that was a bleeder :farmer:
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We do as HH and cut longer umbilical cords as they can get stretched if left attached and cause hernias. So ours are cut with sterilised scissors and sprayed with iodine, they drop of completely within a couple of days.
Mandy :pig:
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I've never had an umbilical cord on a piglet after a few hours. I presume the sow bites them off. I will have to keep an eye on them next litter. :wave:
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it is a funny thing with animals you could Farrow and calve cows over a long period with little or no intervention and be convinced your way is the only way until you start having losses then your management and preventative treatments alter drastically
the navel is an easy access point for infection in all animals and until you have had losses or illness contracted through the navel the attention to detail is minuscule cutting the cord tying it off and doesing with iodine should be done without hesitation
a pig i have yet to see licking or attending to there of spring like other animals :farmer:
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The piglet in question was born alive,and i saw it delivered however it wasn't until about an hour later that i noticed it shuffling using its back legs and chest.Right or wrong i dispatched the poor mite,i would rather have a swift ending than be laid on by the sow.Regarding the cords they have dried and shrivelled up nicely now and all 9 made it through the night.
Thanks all that added there input.