[The Relic]

is this a silly question?

do pig know if they are going to get sunburn? i mean if its sunny will they know to keep in the shade or will they stay out and get sunburned. am i better off keeping them inside if its really sunny or just let them out as usual.

what factor do ginger pigs use lol

[Muc]

Cheapo factor 50 spray-on. Catch them when they are eating and squirt, squirt, squirt.
Mine don't cover themselves in mud, nor have they the sense to keep out of the sun.
I put up all sorts of shade, even a sun-umbrella but they still sit in the sun.
I suppose they are a forest animal and the fact that we humans have bred away their natural hair and dark skin doesn't help.

[The Relic]

oh you do actually do put suncream on them. do you just put a little on them or go the whole hog (no pun intended) and put as much as you would a human. mine have a lot of hair would this help.

[JulieS]

I put the suncream on their ears....mine seem to love it!  They are pretty hairy too, so don't seem to get burnt anywhere else.  They are enjoying a good wallow in the mud today.

[Muc]

Mine are Gloucester Old Spot x Large Whites and are pink and bald.
By holding the bottle about 6" away, I get a splotch about the size of a CD with each squirt. First I do their ears, then the most exposed areas on their backs and sides.
I hate to say it but I hope this heatwave ends soon.

[Pigtails]

We have many pigs, far too many to apply sun cream to, ours wallow in mud.

[gavo]

Helloo,

Tams are very resistant to sunburn. Make sure they can make a wallow and all should be OK. Mine are just lounging around in this heat in muddy wallows. If you haven't got any mud to hand just leave a hose running and they'll soon create their perfect spot.

Cheers

Gavin

[The Relic]

yea dont really want to add applying suncream to pigs as one of my daily chors (im optimistic the sun will last lol) have a mud bath for them to wallow in but they have no interest in it

[Farmer]

I agree that a wallow is best and as much shade as you can give them - free access to sheds etc; I haven't tried suncream - If its really hot and the pigs are not wallowing I try to spray them with a water hose to cool them down - Tamworths love it, Gloucesters hate it - but on a fine spray setting its just like gentle rain and the pigs tolerate it.

The first year I kept pigs it was a really hot summer and I thought it better to keep them in the cow shed out of the direct sun - plenty of space and open to any breeze that may be around - my young boar went down with heatstroke and we nursed him for almost three weeks - my wife gave him blanket bath's three times a day and I medicated - the vet suggested that even if he recovered he may be infertile so we should have him put down - we persevered anyway - 'George' did recover and went on to sire over seventy piglets in his first working year and many more since. Sadly, he has now come to the end of his working life and needs to be culled to make way for younger blood - I'm trying to pluck up the courage to do the deed this week, but its going to be very hard (damn emotions, why can't I be a proper farmer and just get on with it!)...sorry.

Good luck with sunburn treatment

Regards, Farmer

[Hilarysmum]

Oh Farmer how well I know that feeling, the hard lump in the stomach, the inability to really look him in the eye any more.  The lump in the throat when he rolls over for a belly rub.  There is no easy answer, just do it quickly.

All my pigs love the sun, spend a lot of time in the mornings liberally applying sun tan lotion to the ears then spraying with after sun in the evenings.  They have shade, wallows, trees all of which they utilise.  One of mine managed to get sunburn on her belly.

[gavo]

Hello,

We have a similar situation looming for our first Tam boar but he'll just be retired to father meat pigs & crosses. Whilst we have no problem killing the meat pigs we keep on the old breeding stock to live out their days.

Cheers

Gavin