Author Topic: worming gilts in pig (Read 3023 times)

waterboy · « **on:** October 02, 2010, 10:30:47 pm »

Hi,

I read somewhere that it was advisable to worm the pigs before they farrow to pass on the protection to their offspring, is this true and if so when would be the optimum time to administer the wormer?

Thanks Rob

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2010, 09:38:44 am »

About 2 weeks before the due date.

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2010, 10:07:15 am »

HM is right on timing.

Worming is often misunderstood. Worming is NOT a prevention, it merely kills any worms inside the pig (typically lung and intestine). Worming is also not 100%.

So by worming a sow pre-farrowing she will not be passing any protection on. However worm eggs are present in the dung which the young piglets will inevitably eat fragments of by mistake as they feed around their mothers feet at a few weeks of age. Hence worming the sow pre-farrowing will reduce the likelihood of the piglets picking up worms as she should be almost free of them. However as I said above it is not 100%, so you should worm your weaners at weaning as well to kill 99% of any they have picked up.

waterboy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2010, 03:02:25 pm »

Thankyou for the replies, i was also wondering do you worm as normal ie going by the weight of the pig or are there special requirements due to the pig being pregnant?

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2010, 06:47:05 pm »

we worm as usual - at two weeks before the piglets are so small (they grow the most in those last two weeks) that they make no difference. Don't get hung up on exact doses, she may well not have any worms at all !