[Galician Smallholder]

I have 9 Sow’s all approx 1.5 years old they spend the days outside and the nights in. They have been fed quality pig feed in the mornings and potatoes at night and they have approx 5 hecters to roam about it with a waterhole / wallow area. I clean out their pens every morning and think as pig pens go they are very clean. Usually all the Sows and piglets are as happy as larry. So I was surprised to fid one of the Sows this morning not standing up waiting for her breakfast. Instead she was laying down. I poured her feed into the trough and she just stayed there. It was a nice day so I left her pen open to see if she wanted to go outside which she did, without any problems she got up and walked out to have a drink. I noticed vomit (well it smelt like vomit) in the pen so put it down to an iffy stomach and was going to take further action if she didn’t eat her supper this evening. When I went up to the field this evening I found her dead in her favourite spot amongst the hay!!!!!! Has this happened to anyone else and which could be the cause. It would have to be a serious virus to kill a 90-100kg pig in less than 10 hours. Possible a stomach problem ? Any words of wisdom much appreciated

[manian]

don't know what it is/was but so sad for you

[doganjo]

Sorry to hear that - could it have been a stroke or a heart attack?

[Helencus]

Sorry to hear. Could she have eaten anything poisonous?

[Galician Smallholder]

Re eaten something dodgy there is a lot of land they can munch away in but its mostly pasture with thorn bushes round the edges. Didnt think about heart attack...although would she had vomited prior to the heart attack.

Another question, the sun was setting when I found her, so was only able to cover her up where she was, anyone disposed of a pig before...i havent usually its on my own terms.

Thanks again

[Helencus]

Are you in the UK? If so I believe you have to get the knackerman to take them away as fallen stock. Not allowed to bury on your land I'm afraid.

[Galician Smallholder]

no Galicia Spain, going to call the vet in the morning find out the law here.

[oaklandspigs]

My sympathies, we haven't lost one like this, so can only offer general points.

I can't see anything you could have done -  she was getting up and drinking, so like you I would have said - ill pig but no great concern, leave 24 hours and expect her to get better.

My only thought would be about the potatoes - were these cooked or raw?  Green potatoes are poisenous in larger quantities to pigs (one or two will just make them feel off).  I gather this is due to an alkaloid, called solanine.  This develops in potatoes when they are stored in the presence of light (which also encourages chlorophyll formation giving green hue).

My other thought is whether something is starting to grow, or come into flower in the area at this time of year.  Have you had pigs on here for more than a year (so have seen the full cycle of plant life)?

Obviuosly keep an eye on the others, but if no-one else shows signs, then hopefully this is a one off.

You could get her PM'd, but this would be very expensive, and probably be inconclusive. However if a second one succumbed, I would PM it immediately.

[Hilarysmum]

Firstly I am so sorry for your loss, terrible thing to happen especially as she is so young. 

From a friend's experience, they fed raw potatoes as an evening feed.    All were fine  the evening before, the following morning they found their favourite 2 year old sow dead.  Vet did an autopsy.  The potatoes were thought to have been a contributary factor.    Sorry this is probably not very helpful.

[robert waddell]

i will leave the tea and sympathy for others
one of the first signs that pigs are ill is when they don't act as normal      where you have livestock it follows you will get deadstock (at some point in time)  the water your pigs should have 24hr access to it     when you first noted her illness you should have called the vet and been more vigilant not leaving her to nighttime are you familiar with the symptoms of the notifiable diseases that affect pigs is there rats would you know the signs to look for has a neighbour been laying down poison has it ingested a dead or dying rat
may i also suggest that your pig is under fed for a sow to weigh 90- 100k at a year and a half  unless she is a kune kune
with your experience i would get her P M just to give you peace of mind and possibly prevent it happening again and if she is diseased you can take preventative action
it is all part of being a responsible pig keeper

[Stevie G]

I'll go with the wraw patatoes as well, as they can not be feed in large quanties raw, and are always better cooked.
Other problems that cause sudden death in sows are poisonous plants, mastitis, Metritis, bacterial septicaemia ie Erysipelis(diamond shapes on skin), PRSS, Cystitis(seen as blood or pus in urine), Acute stress(fighting with anther sow), Heat stroke(your winter so probably not that?) or Pneumonia(seen in the way she breaths, no appetite,etc.), along with a few others!
Is most likely none of the above, but ones to be considered.
As stated, if its a one off then I would be too concerned, but if there are more cases, then call your Vet.
Stay healthy!

[robert waddell]

As a matter of curiosity Stevie G how long have you been keeping pigs ?? for you to have experienced all these aliments. As for the potato idea we fed raw whole potatoes for several years and never encountered any side effects. Possibly we were lucky or more vigilant

[Leri]

I think most if not all but one are happy to be sympathetic GS - I really feel for you. You must already be wishing you had called the vet sooner - but hindsight is a wonderful thing and judgement from afar much easier than making that call at the time.
I had a poorly pig that wasn't keen on eating and didn't call the vet until the second morning of not eating either - because she could be encouraged up and to drink, I called the vet when the second sow started to show the same signs that next day. They had a virus of some sort - had antibiotics and recovered fine. However - when they came to give birth a few weeks later - Ruby the first sow had three dead piglets inside her and a fourth died straight after birth. I think the virus affected on side of her litter. The other three came on brilliantly and she was a fabulous mother. She is in pig again now with her second litter.
Unfortunately it's all a learning curve and this forum should be somewhere we can ask stuff without being judged put down and patronised.
Please let us know how you get on and how you had to dispose of her. I do feel for you. Really hope all the other pigs are ok.

[oaklandspigs]

this forum should be somewhere we can ask stuff without being judged put down and patronised.

Well said !

[robert waddell]

leri i can see your thinking on this can you not see my line of thought on this
with major disease outbreaks it is the first 24 hrs that can make the difference betwean a small outbreak or a major disaster
this may not be the case in this instance but who knows it is in Spain and they have not updated
now if they were in my area and my stock had to be destroyed because somebody was on a learning curve  well i will stop there