Sow feeding regime will affect conception rate, number of piglets born, piglet weight and vitality, milk production ability, ability to return to estrus and duration of sow use.
The sow’s feeding regime will affect the conception rate, the number of newborn piglets, the weight and vitality of the piglets, the physical condition of the sow, the ability to produce milk, the ability to return to estrus and the time of using the sow. Therefore, farmers need to pay attention to having a suitable care and feeding regime for pregnant sows.
1. IDENTIFY PREGNANT SOWS
To help have a suitable care and feeding regimen, ensure normal fetal development and healthy mother pigs, and avoid pathological conditions for mother pigs and fetuses, it is necessary to identify pregnant sows.
Before knowing whether a sow is pregnant or not, it is necessary to check the following information clearly:
– Time of last insemination, number of inseminations.
– After mating, do pigs go into heat again?
– Do pigs have reproductive diseases?
– Sow farming situation.
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How to recognize pregnant sows
Pregnant sows often lie prone, often with edema in the limbs and abdomen. The mammary glands develop larger and more flat. The pigs are quiet, eat well and sleep well, and their abdomens develop larger. The pigs do not show signs of estrus again after 21 days from mating.
2. RAISING PREGNANT SOWS
Environment temperature
If high temperature affects the vitality of sows, many fetuses die. High temperature makes pigs eat less, tired, breathe a lot, often miscarry and die embryos, stillbirths, miscarriages. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the barn is always airy and cool.
Barn
The barn or floor is off the ground, ensuring that it is warm in winter and cool in summer. Use air conditioning with steam. It needs light in the morning, avoiding rain from the west and cold winds in the cold season. Avoid noises that can scare the sows, and do not let them fight or jump out of the barn.
Pig feed
Phase 1: 0-35 days:
During the first 18 days after fertilization, the embryo adheres (attaches) to the uterine lining. From 18 to 35 days the embryo continues to develop. Good quality feed and appropriate feeding levels are essential during this period and will result in more piglets and better piglet uniformity. Feed the pig a reasonable amount of feed, about 1.8 – 2 kg/head/day depending on the breed.
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Phase 2: 35-84 days:
During the middle stage, the placenta is mainly developing, this stage is very important because the piglets receive enough nutrients for them to develop, but do not feed the piglets too much so that they become too fat, which will negatively affect the development of the fetus. Feed the piglets the appropriate amount of feed in the range of 1.8 – 2 kg/head/day.
Phase 3: 84-112 days:
During the final stages of pregnancy, piglets are growing rapidly and require additional nutrients, energy and protein. In addition, the sow’s weight is increasing and requires more nutrients. Feeding rate has a major influence on the weight, uniformity and vitality of newborn piglets. Feed 2 – 2.5 kg/pig/day. During the last week of pregnancy, the feed for lactating sows plays a role in supporting the birth process and milk quality.
At 111 – 113 days, feed 2 kg/head/day. And 1 day before giving birth – do not feed.
Feed for pregnant sows must be nutritious and not spoiled or moldy. Feed on time to stimulate appetite, and change feed gradually.
Provide enough clean water for sows to drink.
The daily feed intake of pregnant sows also depends on the physical condition of the sow (thin, fat or normal). Thin sows must be fed more, sows that are too fat must have their mixed feed reduced but green roughage increased.
In winter, when the temperature in the barn is below 15 degrees Celsius, sows need to eat more (0.2 – 0.3 kg of feed/sow/day) to compensate for the energy lost due to having to fight the cold.
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Care of pregnant sows
Ensure the sows have enough exercise but keep them quiet and do not disturb the herd. The barn should be cool and maintain a temperature of 26 – 28 degrees Celsius.
7-10 days before giving birth, clean and massage the sow’s udder 1-2 times/day to stimulate milk flow.
Disease prevention: Regularly clean feeders, drinkers and barns. Fully vaccinate sows. Keep a book and record health status, feed intake and disease prevention vaccines.
Ensure adequate vitamins and minerals in the diet.
Vitamins are very important for fetal development. Without vitamins, piglets will grow slowly, have poor vitality, and are likely to die young.
Minerals are very important for the fetus and sow. Lack of minerals causes poor bone development in piglets and pregnant sows are at risk of paralysis of the hind legs.
Through the above information, the technique of raising and caring for sows during pregnancy requires the farmer to really focus and spend a lot of time taking care of them.