[violet]

I was tired   

It's been a long week. month, year........................

She's definately got 11 full teats ( 5 on one side & 6 on the other - I'd assumed that it was the same number on each side!), but has more probably 14 in total - not including her false one.

Yes I worm regularly. As I said I have her sister to compare to so I know I'm not doing anything wrong - she's just one of those pigs. The interesting thing is though she's learning to regulate that herself ( she is the more intelligent of the two), by lying on her belly and encouraging the piglets to forage for themselves - even pushing them through the electric fence, as if to send them off to play  . If they try & take a sneaky drink I've seen her kicking them away 

Feed - My breeders get 3lbs each feed twice a day ( I do it by scoop though) - that's 6 lb in total or 3 K. For pregnant pigs that's gradually increased untill they have double that 2 weeks before farrowing. Then I cut back a little for a few days after farrowing, but I usually spread the same amount over 4 -6 feeds if they're eating well. Then I start to add extra and work up to about 1 lb of food per 2 piglets and by weaning that is usually 1 lb food per piglet per feed.
So currently Mum is getting 12 lbs food twice a day = 24lbs - so that's 12K per day. The piglets are eating about 4 lbs of that each feed right now.
So yes I think that amount is right but includes the piglets feed too - 'cos the way I see it it goes into them one way or another.
But with just 8 piglets in her first litter it was excessive, but I was totally neurotic about her milking off her back - now I know some animals are like that.

I know what you're saying about giving her a break though - that is the advice I have been given. But I find it difficult selling weaners up here from about now through to March. I over wintered 12 last year when I'd only accounted for 4 - it broke us. What do you do all the way down there?