Title: 
Headings: 
Important Issues in our Farrowing Department
Representing: TDM Farms
Presenting: Erick Soza
Supporting: Steve Smith, Dr. Carolina Sernia
Introduction
·The main function of the farrowing department is to meet weekly weaning targets.
·Saving as many pigs as possible and supporting their growth is a primary function.
·Proper care of sows immediately contributes to saving and growing good pigs.
·However, proper sow care also insures that the sow will be there to do well on subsequent farrowings.
Sow Acclimation
Piglets Processing
Sow Management
Question 2: What do you do if a sow becomes constipated?
Question 3: Should pigs be fed creep feed before weaning?
Question 4:What temperature is appropriate for the mat under the heat lamp
Question 5: How do you induce farrowing using prostaglandins (LutalyseTM or ProstamateTM)?
Question 7: How do you use oxytocin to aid a sow during a difficult farrowing?
Question 10: Is cross-fostering beneficial?
Question 14: How can you prevent sows from discharging after farrowing?
Question 17: What can be done to increase the birth weight of piglets?
Conclusion
- Although the farrowing department must meet weekly targets for number weaned, proper sow care assures sow productivity and the capability of achieving future weanings with adequate pig numbers.

Content: · If you see signs of discharges after the last pig is pulled, initiate one of the following treatments: - Penicillin G procaine, BP 48, or Gallimycin 200 for three consecutive days
- If the discharge is severe, you can use ¼ to ½ cc oxytocin each day. Question 15: Why is it necessary to give iron at birth? · Pigs are born with a limited store of iron (approximately 50 mg)
· Piglets use about 7-11 mg/day of iron
· Sow milk does not contain adequate iron. · Piglets get about 1 mg per day from sow milk
· Piglets can easily run out of iron in a week to 10 days
Question 16: What causes the joint of piglets to become infected and how are they best treated? · Swollen joints are usually an infection that is causing arthritis
- Some bacteria, like Strep suis, colonize the piglet’s body during birth
- These piglets carry the bacteria in their tonsils and mouth
- Open navels, cut tail stumps, castration wounds, injured gums from needle teeth trimming, and other skin lesion provide entry sites for bacteria
- Septicemia (bacteria traveling in the blood) occurs quickly after bacterial entry
- The blood carries bacteria to the joints where they locate and infect
- Multiple joint infections occur when pigs have bacteria in their blood stream
- Pigs with swollen joints have retarded growth and are often culled in the nursery or finisher
· Common bacteria: Step suis, Other Strep, Hemophilus parasuis, Some Staph, and a type of Mycoplasma, and occasionally erysipelas
· The best medications are the antibiotic shown by testing to be effective against the particular infection found in the pigs. Question 17: