Weak piglets, often referred to as "weak seedlings," are those born with a weight of less than 900 grams. These piglets typically face significant challenges in survival, but with proper care and intervention, their chances of survival can be greatly improved. In practice, the main causes of death among weak piglets include being crushed by the sow, freezing due to cold exposure, insufficient colostrum intake leading to starvation, and hypoglycemia. To address these issues, several effective measures can be implemented.
First, maintaining warmth and preventing crushing is crucial. Newborn piglets, especially the weak ones, have very thin subcutaneous fat and poor thermoregulation abilities. If not kept warm, they can easily die from hypothermia. Additionally, weak piglets are often small, weak, and slow to move, making them vulnerable to being crushed by the sow. Therefore, it's important to provide extra care for these individuals, such as using heat lamps or warming boxes, and ensuring that sows are closely monitored during farrowing to prevent accidental crushing.
Second, ensuring early access to colostrum is essential. Colostrum provides vital antibodies and energy for newborns. During farrowing, it's advisable to collect some colostrum (about 50-60 ml total) and manually feed the weaker piglets with 5-10 ml each. It’s also important to guide the weak piglets to nurse at the front teats of the sow, where the milk flow is stronger. Avoiding immediate tooth clipping and tail docking can help reduce stress and improve their competitiveness in the litter.
Third, providing intraperitoneal fluid therapy can help combat hypoglycemia and dehydration. A mixture of 25% glucose (10 ml), camphor (2 ml), and antibiotics like penicillin (150,000 units) or streptomycin (100,000 units) can be administered twice daily for two days. When performing this treatment, it’s important to use a needle that is inserted perpendicularly into the piglet’s abdomen. The injection site and needle must be properly disinfected with 5% iodine or 75% alcohol, and ideally, each piglet should have its own needle to prevent cross-contamination.
Finally, cross-fostering can be an effective strategy. Weak piglets that have consumed at least six doses of colostrum can be grouped together and placed under a sow with good milk production. This helps ensure they receive adequate nutrition and care, improving their overall survival rate.
These practices are based on real-world experience and have been successfully applied in many farms. By implementing these strategies, farmers can significantly improve the health and survival of weak piglets. Try these methods in your own operation and see the difference they can make.
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