Weaning piglets from the sow is the most important step for the farmer. Her health, the intensity of use in the reproduction of offspring in the future, as well as the effectiveness of the growth of young animals, will depend on the correctness of his actions. This article will help you figure out when it is best to wean piglets from mother pigs, how to do it right, how to accustom babies to new living conditions and solid food.
Weaning piglets from sows
When should piglets be weaned from the sow?
It is known that late weaning periods are considered economically unprofitable, since sows lose weight, after which they recover for a long time and do not come into heat, but in this case, the young animals turn out to be physically strong and healthy. However, late-weaned piglets are less prepared to eat solid food, and they are also more difficult to endure separation from their mother psychologically. The task of the farmer is to find that very golden mean, to correctly determine the timing of weaning babies.
Piglets are weaned from the sow at different ages. It is advisable to do this when they reach the age of one month, but no later than two months from birth.. Weaning later is economically unprofitable – you have to spend a lot of money on feeding the sow (she consumes almost twice as much when she continues to feed the growing offspring with milk). Two-month-old suckling babies greatly deplete the mother, she can lose up to 60 kg of weight. In the future, the pig needs time to recover (about 3 months) so that it comes into the hunt and can again bring offspring. An additional 1 to 1,5 centners of feed will have to be spent on fattening such an animal.
Given these indicators, most farmers decide to wean piglets from their mother at the age of 30-60 days. Early weaning saves a lot of money and produces more farrowings per year per pig.
Preparatory stage before weaning
Young animals are acutely experiencing weaning from their mother, suckling babies experience severe stress, due to which they can not only lose their appetite, but also get sick. Therefore, they should be prepared for separation from their mother gradually. The preparatory stage includes:
- Feeding introduction.
- Limitation of communication with the mother.
Introduction of complementary foods
Consider what farmers need to do so that weaning from the mother is painless in the future:
- Already on the third day after birth, piglets are allowed to drink a small amount of boiled water.
- On the fifth day, boiled cow’s milk is gradually introduced into complementary foods.
- Starting from a week of age, babies are given a thick mash of oatmeal boiled in milk or water.
- By the tenth day, the piglets are offered good quality hay, cut into small fractions.
- It’s time for two-week-old babies to try the food that adult pigs eat – tops, root vegetables and succulent grass.
Attention! While the transition to a new diet is being carried out, the sow continues to feed the babies with her milk and is kept with them.
Farmers know that after weaning, piglets are often picky and do not want to eat roughage. They go for tricks. While the sow is still feeding them her milk, the farmers feed her food with the addition of fragrant oils. In this case, mother’s milk acquires the appropriate smell. Babies get used to it and associate it with their mother. When they are weaned from the sow, these oils are added to the young food, thereby attracting the babies to the feeder. They are more likely to eat solid food that smells like mom.
weaning
When the diet of piglets already becomes quite diverse, it’s time to wean. They do this in several stages:
The sow is restricted from drinking
- Gradually transfer the sow to a dietary diet and limit her drinking to reduce milk production.
- They practice temporary weaning of piglets for a short period of time (the sow is kept separately, they bring her to the babies only for feeding).
- The number of feedings is gradually reduced over several days from 6 to 1.
Attention! During this period, it is very important to diagnose the pig’s udder in order to avoid the development of mastitis.
Weaned piglets experience a strong nervous excitement, having lost their mother. During this period, they may begin to eat heavily.. However, their digestive system is very delicate, overeating adversely affects the functioning of the intestines. Therefore, farmers should temporarily reduce the daily ration of piglets by 20% to prevent overeating. The next 10 days, the amount of feed given is gradually brought to normal. Within 2 weeks after weaning, do not regroup so as not to stress the young once again.
If weaning occurs too early – before the age of one month, then the babies need to be provided with cow’s milk. Each piglet needs up to 20 liters per day. Feeding is done at regular intervals (approximately every 2-3 hours). When the babies reach the age of two months, milk is fed 6 times a day. The rules for introducing complementary foods are the same as described above.
Raising weaned piglets
After weaning, young animals are fed 5 times a day, offering them fresh chopped food. At an early age, the digestive tract is still too vulnerable, therefore, in order to avoid intestinal infections, food is left in the pigsty for no more than an hour and a half. What should be included in the diet of weaners:
- 20% is fresh juicy grass.
- 70% – concentrates.
- 5% – products of animal origin.
- 5% – grinding from grain.
Attention! Young animals often suffer from anemia, so it is recommended to introduce iron supplements and vitamins into the diet. To quickly compensate for the lack of iron, injections of iron-containing preparations are made.
Weaned piglets must gain at least 400 grams of weight per day. To achieve this indicator, the diet must necessarily include various types of flour – herbal, fish, bone, legumes, as well as skimmed milk, vegetables, root crops and bran. Within 2 weeks after weaning the piglets from the sow, the daily amount of food is gradually brought to the norm, which is 1,5 ECU per individual.
Enhanced nutrition for weak piglets
When the babies get used to after weaning from the mother, they need to be regrouped – healthy, strong babies are combined into groups of up to 25 individuals. Weak and small are kept separately in groups of up to 14 individuals. For these piglets, enhanced nutrition is organized.
When exactly to wean piglets from the sow, the farmer must decide, taking into account various factors – costs, the number of farrowings per year that he wants to receive, etc. Most farm owners have come to the conclusion that the optimal weaning period is considered to be an age interval of from a month to two . An earlier weaning from the mother can lead to a deterioration in the health of the offspring, and a later one is associated with large economic losses.
