[c day]

hello all, we have a sow here that every time she has a litter(2nd litter) she ends of real skinny back bone and shoulders  sticking out, have just weaned the litter off her 7 weeks old now, she was wormed before farrowing and i was feeding her 6kg per day plus sliage and hay still no weight on her, she puts on weight not long after weaning but im wondering what a big litter would do on her as she only had six this time. all the best conor

[Hilarysmum]

Our Daisy (now sadly gone  arthritis) used to have up TO 14 piglets.  We kept her to one litter a year, because until she dropped the piglets she was like a beached whale, as soon as she started to feed she looked like an old, ill used cow.  I used to give her a very high protein diet both during feeding piglets and after weaning.  She soon put weight back on.  I used to dread visitors to her when she was feeding as she really did look like a cruelty case.  Her piglets were the best, fastest growers, real little stonkers and except for the last litter never lost one.

[oaklandspigs]

Some sows just put everything into their piglets, so the more you feed them, the bigger the piglets get and mum still loses condition.

If she has a large litter, she will not lose more condition than she is doing, she'll just spread the same amount accross more piglets.

Just make sure she has a good period to regain condition before mating her again.

[Helencus]

My aggie is the same lost a lot of weight can't seem to get any back on her even now piglets are having creep feed, Kim still chunky as ever aggie looks as if she's not fed! I'm keeping an eye on her may have to wean a bit early. I plan to wait a good few months after they're weaned before she goes back into pig. She's had 11 to feed all chunky babies.

[little blue]

same with my two... Maud is almost rotund & Mil is "milking off her back" though not quite as severe-looking now they are weaned.
think she let the piggylets take advantage  - they were eating solid within 9 days but still taking milk at 12 weeks!

[Pel]

A few years back I worked with one sow that did that and we decided to wean her at 5 weeks, as she produced good sized litters (10-11) that grew strong and quickly filled out and by 2-3 weeks was eating solids, but she ended up being very thin, if kept on too long which meant she couldn't be mated straight away after weaning. But if weaned early could, as she was still in a fit condition.
If your just breeding pigs to have piglets every now and then, then you can probably keep her on till 7-8 weeks and then just feed her back up again, and when she is back in good condition put her back to the boar. If your running a business/efficiently mating (not trying to offend anyone here) then weaning her early may well be the answer next time.

[Hilarysmum]

I know that no-one with any sense would take on Hilary, but was just imagining her being weaned before she was ready.  Mayhem and one p.... off sow on the rampage.    (last time we tried to keep Hilary away from her piglets she took the door off the barn.  Fortunately H doesnt lose weight.

[Pel]

Most of the welsh sows in that herd, got thoroughly annoyed by their piglets by 5-6 weeks old. The gilts though seemed happier to be kept on till 6-7 weeks, but by next litter wanted them off earlier. If your doing it not commercially (whether small or large scale) and don't need to have them mated straight away, and have everything the same, then you can afford to wean one sow/gilt later or earlier than the other one. It depends on peoples' set-ups.

[Helencus]

How can you tell? What should I be looking for?
Kim seems to get fed up when they eat the feed she thinks should all be hers and headbutts them out the way if they get in the way but most times girls still seem ok. I dont think we'll get them to 7/8 weeks with mom though currently 5 weeks old and most are chunky just a few smaller ones.

[Hilarysmum]

Most sows I take the piglets off at around 8/9 weeks.  With Hilary I either watch for flying piglets or catch them as they all decamp.  She has a way of letting them know that they are no longer welcome.  My biggest problem is stopping her finding the boar I like 9 months between litters.

If the piglets are well grown eating well at around 5 to 6 weeks it is possible to take them off then.  I leave any small ones with mum until she refuses to feed them any longer.

[Helencus]

Thanks HM we are getting a few 'flyers' from Kim so will see if she'll tolerate another week but suspect next weekend we will have to wean hers. More fencing then as Aggie destroyed the divide..

[Hilarysmum]

Pigs dont you just love them.  Hilary decided Digby was getting too much attention so walked through all the fences and is outside the door now.  Digby who must be a masochist is attempting to coochie up to Hilary, always a dangerous sport even for an entire male, and Digby is missing the vital parts.   

[Eve]

Digby & Hilary? Guess who'll be wearing the trousers in that ark! 

[Eastling]

HH you could so write a book!! with pictures please!!

[Hilarysmum]

Thanks for the compliment, I wish I had the vocabulary to write a book.  Hilary would demand all the royalties though.

Hilary not only wears the trousers she also wears the ..... male bits  .... fortunately Digby's were removed when he was too young to know what they were for. 

They passed a peaceful night, Hilary in the deep straw under the barn overlap and Digby on the edge.  He was warm and dry this morning so no problems there at least.  Now just have to convince Hilary that she should go back to her field and stay there.  Going to be a very long day.