[Malc]

We took our two sows away from their litters this week. The piglets are fine, one sow is fine, but the other kept breaking out (through the electric fence and the barbed wire) to go looking for her piglets. She had seemed desperate to get out in the first place as she had started to lose weight fast. We've torn up the text books and compromised, putting her in a pen in the same shed as the piglets, who are all sold and will be off to their new homes in a week. Any thoughts on my next step?

[pigsatlesrues]

Hi there - how is your pig? I have just noticed your posting so hope all is well!

It is a problem we never have because with the numbers and selections we have we never actually sell all of the piglets from a litter.  We don't separate the young ones from their mothers as a rule, because they wean in their own time, and usually it is mum at around 10 weeks who has had enough. All but one of our sows is mother earth, and would get very distressed if we removed their babies.  With our layout both here and in our new facility, the piglets are able to go walk abouts and play in their family or friendship groups, so they naturally spend more and more time away from their mother and the transition is made easily. It is Laura our Saddleback that ususally lets us know when to rid her of the brats and she shows us by tossing them in the air - no one is welcome to share her food - she tolerates for so long and then that is it!  She starts to get irritated at around 6 weeks old and she is done and dusted by 8 weeks.  In the two years we have had her, only one daughter has remained with her.  She isn't welcome, and we tried many times to move her in with the other meat pigs, but at a year old she lives with her mum and just loves her.  Laura couldn't care less one way or another - her daughter was there when she had her last litter and she duly did baby sitting duties, and those piglets have long gone now, but she is still there, hoping her mum will notice her bless her! I keep telling her not hold her breath!

Kate 

[Rosemary]

Makes you realise how cruel and unnatural intensive pig farming is.

[pigsatlesrues]

I agree Rosemary - John actually went into one the elevages near to us here and I have to say that you cannot fault them for hygiene; the standard was incredible - shower on entry, change into whites top to toe, and it was apparently very clinical.

The other side though was 'intensive' - so many pigs, so many sad pigs.  It is so awful to know that the only daylight they see is when they leave for the abatoir.  I quite often have a tear when I see those little noses sniffing the air as they are transported to  wherever in those big lorries as they pass me on the road.

I come back and just look and 'my babies' and all I want to do is give them all great big belly rubs!

Kate 

[Malc]

Thanks Kate. The advice is much appreciated and makes me realise there's no hard-and-fast rule.

Fate intervened, as it happens. I had to put Molly back inside and hoped that when all 12 of her piglets went off to new homes, she'd get used to the idea and go out. Then one buyer dropped out and two of the male weaners picked up minor injuries so they are now back in with mum. They aren't attempting to suckle and everyone seems quite happy with the arrangement.

It means Kim is on her own for now, but I'm hoping Molly will go back with her in time, along with two gilts from Kim's litter. Fingers crossed.

And I totally agree about intensive farming. It may be clean as a whistle, but that doesn't make it any less cruel.

[Hilarysmum]

I abhor intensive farming, however there are those animals even in outdoor environments who may be even sadder than those in intensive farms.  Because they are not intensively reared does not automatically make it a better life, sadly.  Then there are those which are shipped off to Asia, where there death is not quick and clean.  Not all smallholders have the high standards of care shown by most of us.