Author Topic: Runny Poo (Read 2757 times)

Galician Smallholder · « **on:** February 10, 2011, 11:42:07 pm »

Hi I am looking for advise I have 5 sows all with litters. I noticed this morning that 2 of the mothers and some of the piglets have very runny poo also in some cases looked a bit white ??!!!! They all seem OK in themselves and are still running about all over the place but this is the first time this had happened so am a little concerned. The mothers had been in for the past 4 weeks due to the bad weather and farrowing but have been out side for most of the day now for the past 2-3 weeks, the only other change is that I have introduced potatoes into their diet in the mornings as a little extra substance (approx 1-2kg per Sow)

Should I wait and see what develops or act now, I really try to stay away from antibiotics unless its really necessary. Do you think worms might be the issue?? All were wormed just before Christmas

Many thanks

patchy1990 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2011, 08:27:16 am »

I've heard that if pigs eat too much potato, it can cause stomach upset due to the increase in starch in their diets as they have trouble digesting it, so this could be whats happening?
We used too cook potatoes for them and seems to be much better

Gary · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:16:05 am »

Hi it could be a lack of iron if you dig up a clod of turf and put that in the pens then the sow and piglets can eat it and take iron from it it works well for me and is less stressful and more economical than injections. let me know how you get on.

Gary

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2011, 09:21:12 am »

Thats a lot of potatoes to digest!!
So suspect this why they have upset tummies and this wil feed thro their milk to piglets, knock the amount back or cook them as previously mentioned.
You also find that at about 3wks after giving birth upset tummies abound as the sow comes around into season so this may be a possibility.
My other advice is to make sure you clean up the runny stuff if you can so it can't be ingested by the piglets by accident as they rootle round.
HTH
mandy

Galician Smallholder · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2011, 10:58:58 am »

Thanks very much for the advise, going to reduce potatoes and also give them a course of antibotics just in case. There is a white goo mixed in with the poo which i would guess is undigested starch. Thanks again and will keep you posted with progress.

Karl

Pel · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2011, 11:09:45 am »

How long have they been having potatoes? as if you introduce something new into their diet it can take up to a week for their poos to settle down. If they have only had one day of runs, I wouldn't really think about giving them antibiotics as you say you've introduced something new. If you use antibiotics too quickly then you can get resistance in the future.
Are these 5 litters your first litters? or have you not change something in their diet in the past? Do the ones with runs live in more mucky conditions? as this can cause runs too (antibiotics may well be needed). Or do these litters with runs have more piglets in and worse off looking mums?
Anyway the antibiotics are up to you, but its probably down to the pots rather than an infection/virus as the others would have it too, unless they are kept elsewhere.

Galician Smallholder · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2011, 01:29:41 pm »

Thanks again, upon reflection think I am going to hold fire on the antibiotics and just reduce the pots and see how it goes. Will keep you posted. Thanks everyone