[piggly wiggly]

I have two tamworth sows, If I've got my dates right Florence is due to farrow late October, she has farrowed once before with her previous owner with no problems.

This will be my first farrowing although very excited I'm eager to do everything I can for a successful farrowing. I'm planning to farrow in my new arc, its two layers of plywood with polystyrene insulation in between and has a raised wooden floor. I've read a lot about creep areas and I'm going to make one in the corner of the arc, but there is no mains electricity in the field for a heat lamp, do I need a heat lamp??

Any advice ?     

[hughesy]

You don't need a heat lamp. The idea is that the lamp encourages the piglets into the creep area and stops them getting rolled on etc. We've never used one as we have no electric anywhere near our pigs either.

[Laurasfarm]

Hi

I farrowed my OSB outside in November last year.  We didn't use heat or a creep, she didn't squash any but she is an experienced Sow. 
Your piglets will stay closer to mum to stay warm which increases the risk of squashing.  So I guess it's about balancing the risks.  A lovely deep layer of dry straw helps, dry the off well before putting them on the teat and make sure your around as much as possible after the birth.

It's good to have a plan b as well incase you need to hand feed etc

Laura

[piggly wiggly]

Thank you for your replies, I'm going to take the risk and farrow without a lamp  Deep straw and more checking is the way I'm going to go, I'll let you know how Florence gets on. 

[shygirl]

lots of straw and a big warm mumma, im sure theyl be fine. we farrowed in a stable but they hardly used their heat lamps anyway. goodluck

[Berkshire Boy]

I never use a heat lamp either. I wouldn't use too much straw for the first day or so because they tend to bury themselves and that is when they get squashed. After a few days they and the sow are used to each other being there and are more careful.

[nelson]

Good luck too Piggly Wiggly - thought I might share a pic of our Tamworth who farrowed outside outside her ark. That was a few weeks ago and we had some pretty cold nights - she has only just taken them in. She built a huge nest of wood and weeds. It was beautiful - 'fraid the pic doesn't do it justice - or Hattie. Her piglets are a x OSB.


Agree about not too much straw at first - done that and lost a couple 

[shygirl]

Good luck too Piggly Wiggly - thought I might share a pic of our Tamworth who farrowed outside outside her ark. That was a few weeks ago and we had some pretty cold nights - she has only just taken them in. She built a huge nest of wood and weeds. It was beautiful - 'fraid the pic doesn't do it justice - or Hattie. Her piglets are a x OSB.

ours did that too though it was summer, it was huge and must have took hours to create.

[Marches Farmer]

Can you fit a couple of farrowing rails securely into the ark?  We have fitted scaffold poles about 23 cm from the floor at a distance that means the sow has to lie down carefully to fit between them but the piglets can fit along underneath the rail to suckle.