[trying]

Our sow delivered 10 dead and 2 living but after about 2 hours they too were dead, this is her 4th litter and the only one to go wrong, I'm so sad for her, no indication of anything wrong and all piglets look fully formed and normal, the sow has since been walking around and had a drink and she seems to be fine, after birth looked normal and delivery was as usual.

[Bionic]

Ah, I am so sad for you and the sow.   
I wonder what went wrong.
Sally

[rispainfarm]

So sad for you as well  I wonder what went wrong, any chance of having a pm done to find out, maybe avoid it again.

[Mammyshaz]

It must be heartbreaking for you and your sow. 

[trying]

I was very practical about it at the time but as the day is closing in I am starting to feel it a lot more, we bred her ourselves and she is a very sweet British lop, and very special, they are all special I know, but to loose the lot is so sad.
Thank you all for your kind words.
Ann

[Mrs Snoodles]

What a shame for you all, very upsetting especially as you had no indication of any problems.

[trying]

Hi, thank you Mrs Snoodles, I have been following your post with my fingers crossed for your sow , but that's the way it goes, my fingers are still  for your girl.
Ann

[oaklandspigs]

Did you witness any problems with her straining to have them?
 
It is very unusual to lose a whole litter, but it is possible that one got stuck, and blocked the way out for the rest.
 
A piglets umbilical cord is only 50cm long, and the track to get out about 1.5m, so the cord breaks inside the sow.  The piglet has about 5 minutes to get out before it dies of suffocation, so if one piglet blocked the exit, then it is possible that the others backed up and all suffocated.  Most unusual, but if there are no other signs of illness, then that's the explanation I'd go for.
 
Suffocation is by far the most common cause of a piglet being born dead, but otherwise being fine and fully formed.  If they don't fully form then they look mumified, and if they die other than immediately before birth they tend to be re-absorbed, mummified or very odd looking. 
 
The sow has two uterine horns and a central way out - like an "M" with the middle "v" bit of the M being the exit.  Sometimes they can come up one side (eg from the bottom left of the M, and miss the central exit, going down the other (right hand) leg of the M.  They can then take too long to exit and suffocate.  Also the last from one side of the horn has a long way to travel, and it is not untypical for half the litter to be born fully alive, then one dead, then the other half all live, - the last on one side didn't make it out in time.  Ditto why you can often get a dead one with the afterbirth.
 
I'd certainly try her again
 
 
 
 

[trying]

Thank you Oaklands, a very informative reply, as usual, we have been watching her very closely as we were not sure of dates, long story, she started to nest build last night, started to deliver at around 5 am, she has always been slow to start, but the first 9 arrived dead quite quickly, then two live, then 1 dead.

[Marches Farmer]

Mmm, odd.  Once piglets begin arriving they normally follow at about 20 minute intervals.  If there had been a blockage it would perhaps have been likely the two live ones would also have died.  How is the sow now?  Have you managed to take her temperature, in case she has some kind of infection that may have caused a problem?

[trying]

Hi, Lola is fine, we have not taken her temperature as she has been up and walking around, taken a good drink and is sleeping very soundly, her skin feels very normal, there was no indication of any problems, no undue straining or pushing just dead piglets. We have another Lop due in the next week or two so fingers crossed for a better outcome. we will certainly be keeping Lola and letting her have another litter.

[Polished Arrow]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear this news... 


Poor Lola.  And poor you, too.  That's a long wait and a lot of work for such a sad outcome.


Hope you will try her again and that there is better news to come.

[sabrina]

Maybe a stupid question but could it be due to a lack of calcium. I lost a litter of kittens to this, they just slipped away and found out through my vet that this was the problem. My cat was very fussy with food.

[zarzar]

HI im new to all this but does anyone know for definate if pigs can be bitten by the same insects that bite sheep and cows, can pigs get bitten by mites ect carring smallenberg as all i have herd is sheep and cows but made me wonder if pigs get it to

[trying]

Hi, thank you for your input but as she is on the same food, sow rolls and market veg/fruit and lives outdoors, we moved her 3 weeks ago to the farrowing house, she has always farrowed there,  I do not think that that is the problem but who knows! she is up to date with worming.