I was thinking last night I should take a minute to tell you, with any pregnancy things can go wrong.
This is my second litter of piglets and Mr. Allen & Mikayla will be here with me to help me every step of the way as they did last year. They are the best and they always have my best interests in mind.... So I don't want you to worry they will do their best to make sure everything goes well. They will be watching me every 30-60 minutes. They have prepared by familiarizing themselves with the normal birthing process. They have ensured I have a clean and dry place to have my babies.
I will tell you this ... technology is on my side and difficulties with farrowing are less common. Most sows need help in less than 1% of all farrowings.
They have been watching for all the signs I am about ready to farrow.
| Approximate time before delivery | Sow characteristics/ behavior |
|---|---|
| 0-10 days | Mammary glands enlarge and become firm |
| 0-10 days | Swelling of the vulval lips |
| 2 days | Mammary glands become turgid and tense and secrete a clear fluid |
| 12-24 hours | Mammary glands begin to secrete milk |
| 12-24 hours | Overall restlessness, nesting behavior |
| 6 hours | Abundant milk secretion |
| 30 minutes-4 hours | Increased respiration |
| 15-60 minutes | Sow quiets and lies down on her side |
| 30-90 minutes | Straining, passage of blood tinged, oily fluid and meconium ( fetal feces) |
During the normal farrowing process I will exhibit mild straining and my first piglet will be born. Most of my piglets will come head first and some will come tail first.
My piglets will be born approximately 15 minutes apart. The total time for the delivery of my litter may vary but this process usually takes 2.5 hours or less. The placenta is usually delivered 2-4 hours after my last piglet is delivered, I may deliver portions of the placenta during my farrowing period.
Things that would be a cause for alarm during this time include:
Types of problems that will need intervention.
| Type of problem | Method of assistance |
|---|---|
| Uterine inertia (the uterus is unable to contract) | Manual intervention: be certain that the sow is dilated and nothing is blocking the birth canal Deliver any pigs within reach- grasp the pig by the snout or use a snare Administer oxytocin Get the sow up Cool the sow with a mister or fanCall veterinarian if farrowing does not occur |
| Improper presentation of pig | |
| Manual intervention: Hook your index finger under the hock of each hind leg. Extend the legs caudally or use a snare. |
| Manual intervention: Grasp head, lower jaw, or feet to deliver one pig at a time |
| Manual intervention: Grasp head, lower jaw, or feet |
| Canal obstruction | |
| Manual dilation or severing with scissors |
| Call veterinarian |
| Call veterinarian |
| Manually remove fecesGive enema of warm, soapy water |
| Get sow to stand up and force exercise Give oxytocinRarely the veterinarian will have to catheterize bladder |
| Deviation of the uterus | |
 | Call veterinarian |
| Manual intervention |
| Pig is too large | Call veterinarian |
| Sow hysteria | Give tranquilizer as prescribed by veterinarian Give oxytocinRemove pigs until sow is quiet and finished farrowing |
| Retained placenta/ blood or pus discharge | Rare- usually indicates that one or more pigs is present in the reproductive tract-Call veterinarian |
| Vaginal, uterine or bladder prolapse | Call veterinarian |
| Hemorrhage | Call veterinarian |
I found a lot of my information from Purdue ... They have some amazing references.
I know this is a lot to take in and I don't want you to be concerned. Mr. Allen & Mikayla have this all under control and they have arranged for a veterinarian to be on call should a problem arise.
It is time for us all to take a deep breath because in the next 24-48 hours I will be super busy caring for my second litter of piglets.
<3 Pinky Jane
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