[montana]

Hi all,
 
Our Gloucester old spots sow has so far managed to lay on 5 of her piglets.She had 12 in this litter,It is not her first litter which had similar losses.
 We farrow her in a 10 x 12 stable  which has a creep area made of scaffold poles and a heatlamp in one corner, her trough(which is a old butler slnk) in another and a self filling watert rough in another.
 
When she lays down she is far from careful and just seems to flop.
 
Is their anything else we can do to prevent casualties?
 
 

[shygirl]

when we farrowed in a stable, and had the creep too far from the sow, the piglets wouldnt use it. so we put the creep in the corner and the sows bed around the creep, this worked much better for us. the first week is the worst for crushing and i admit to spending alot of time in the stable day and night, and did sometimes have to get the sow up as she had sat on someone, or pull someone out just in time.
we only lost one piglet to crush and that was a gos in an outside pig ark.

[montana]

Thanks previously her creep was in the corner on the opposite side from her bed,we used half of a hay feeder turned upside down.
But for this last litter we used scaffold poles in the corner by her bed. Both had heat lamps in, both times we hve  picked up the piglets and put them under the lamp.
 
Short of being with her 24 hours a day Im at loss what to do!

[Eastling]

 Just a thought is the heat lamp low enough for the piglets to feel the heat?

[shygirl]

there is a reason why sow crates were invented unfortunately..
how old is the litter? some are better mothers than others. im not sure what you can do, after a few days my sows jumped up quick if a piglet squealed and they were very careful not to squash them.
however my gos used to leave her babies for ages while she was off feeding outdoors with no protective instincts to guard them, whereas my other pigs were much more careful and never took their eyes off of them.

[Tudful Tamworths]

Can you post some pictures of the pen? Might be able to offer some suggestions the

[Backinwellies]

Clue maybe  where do piglets sleep?  ... if not always in creep then there is problem with it .....(as per previous posts.)

I am no pig expert but have worked with pigs in farrowing crate a little ...  not pleasant but did stop squashed piglets.    my first thought when I read your message was that seems quite a large area and easy to 'flop' in........... but I know others farrow very successfully in large area.   

Maybe the answer is it is this particular sow and she maybe better as sausages?

I hope someone else can help more

[HappyHippy]

Ditto - if the lamps not low enough, the piglets will snuggle with mum for heat. Check with your hand to make sure the ground under the lamp is hot and if not, move it a bit lower 
It's normally the first 48 hours which are the highest risk, but we did have an OSB sow (normally a super careful mum) who laid on a piglet when it was a week away from weaning ! The best gilt in the litter too, always the best ones 

[BALLOCH]

WE have kune and have had same problem lazy big sow who doesn't care when she re sits down even if piglets scream to say im laid or stood on.Piglets most at risk when they are upto 1o days as don't move around so much.Casualties always happen when sow been up and then settles,esp when they go to lay flat to feed,if half the litter at the back then yes squashed.Out of 10 we were left with 4,but touch wood heading to 4 weeks and seem to be settled.Agree that some pigs aremore careful and just better mums,and agree the bad ones are best not bred from again.This is why big litters I think as to high losses.We have used a heat lamp but found our piglets will only lay with mum and lamp not used and in warm weather not really needed,if u have a good mum.Good luck and don't worry it happens.

[Marches Farmer]

We have an ex pig farm with purpose made pens with farrowing bars made from scaffold poles cemented into the concrete to give bars about 9" high.  There's just enough room for the sow to lie down carefully and the piglets generally line up under the bars.  She doesn't have enough room to flop.

[Tudful Tamworths]

Marches Farmer - would you be able to post some pictures? Would be really useful to see.
 

[Fowgill Farm]

We have a similar set up to Marches Farmer
picture seen here
 
the rails go right round the stable to the door.
hth
mandy

[montana]

Thank you for all your replys. We have a similar set up to Mandy but without the bars round the edges. Yes the heat lamp  was low enough. We are going to install more bars round the edges, but have also taken the tough decision, as the sow had mastitis this time round and has a history of laying on her piglets, to get another Gilt in and send her on her way.
 
She has always been a pain to load and handle and is quiet nervy. We contacted our boar's breeder and he has a lovely gilt that has been well handled and shown. So hopefull should make live a little easier for us, as the record for getting the other sow in the trailer is 4 days!

[shygirl]

that sounds like a plan - not all pigs are good mothers, fingers crossed with the next girl