[GribinIsaf]

Our first time farrowing although experienced sow had two successful litters previously.

Eight piglets arrived this evening - 10 to 15 min apart.  Sow now been straining for an hour and a half and nothing else produced.  Have felt inside as far as able and found nothing.

Should we be worried now?  Or when should we start worrying if she still has contractions and nothing coming out?

Many thanks

[devonlady]

Has the after birth come away? If she is still straining and seems in distress I would 'phone the vet for advice. Hope all goes well!

[HappyHippy]

Has she passed any afterbirth?
Try getting her up and turning her so she lies down on the other side - this can help.
If you have access to oxytocin a jab won't go wrong and she'll need a long lasting antibiotic since you've done an internal.
Keep us posted 

[GribinIsaf]

Thanks for quick responses

Some after birth has now come two hours after last piglet.  Also have got vet calling back

[GribinIsaf]

Second large well formed complete afterbirth just arrived - contractions stopped.  Sow relaxed.  Piglets feeding.  Thanks for support.

[pharnorth]

Congratulations. Don't forget the ab. And enjoy!

[GribinIsaf]

Will do anti-biotic.  Great learning experience.

[mowhaugh]

That's good news, enjoy your piglets.

[Bionic]

Glad everything seemed to be ok in the end. Hope they are all doing well this morning

[GribinIsaf]

Mother and piglets all fine this morning.

[devonlady]

Well done!

[harmony]

Mother and piglets all fine this morning.

Brilliant! 


You will find sometimes piglets arrive literally one after the other or sometimes you can have very long gaps but generally they require little or no assistance. Very unlucky to have a bad farrowing.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

That is brilliant news. When my pigs used to farrow I used to stay by their side and as the piglets cames out I used to get all the mucus off the mouths and noses, make sure their airways were clear and then I used to pop them straight onto the sows teats, so they got milk straight away. I do so miss having little piglets running around, maybe one day. Can we have some piccies plz?

[harmony]

That is brilliant news. When my pigs used to farrow I used to stay by their side and as the piglets cames out I used to get all the mucus off the mouths and noses, make sure their airways were clear and then I used to pop them straight onto the sows teats, so they got milk straight away. I do so miss having little piglets running around, maybe one day. Can we have some piccies plz?

Piglets are incredibly strong and very rarely do you need to clean their noses/mouths. Sows don't let milk down until after they have finished farrowing. When the piglets are feeding and the sow is grunting the milk is coming. This is why you have to be careful piglets can't wander off waiting for the rest of the litter to be born.

[SophieYorkshire]

Some sows do let down milk before farrowing. Some don't.