In addition to temperature, many other factors affect piglet survival. What should farmers pay attention to? How can piglet survival be improved?
I. Reduce Contact with Pathogens
Disinfecting the Farrowing Room
Summer conditions favor the growth of pathogens. Therefore, before sows enter the farrowing house, clean and disinfect it thoroughly, and use it only once it is completely dry. The most effective approach is an all-in/all-out system for the farrowing house: after an entire batch of pigs has been moved out, clean and disinfect the facility, allow it to dry, and then bring in the next batch of sows due to farrow.
Disinfection of sows
Sows should also be washed before entering the farrowing house. This helps remove pathogens and parasites carried on their bodies and prevents them from spreading to newborn piglets.
Cutting off other routes
Other routes by which pathogens can enter the farrowing house include: farm staff entering the farrowing house without disinfecting; cats, dogs, or rats carrying large numbers of pathogens entering and leaving the farrowing house; and sow feces not being removed promptly. In summer, particular attention should be paid to diseases spread by mosquito and fly bites. Thoroughly clean areas where mosquitoes and flies are likely to breed. To cut off these transmission routes, farm staff entering or leaving the farrowing house must be strictly disinfected, other animals must be kept out of the farrowing house, and feed must be inspected strictly to prevent the use of spoiled feed.
II. Monitoring Sow Farrowing
Monitoring sow farrowing is an important means of reducing the mortality of newborn piglets in summer. The sow’s appetite declines 1-2 days before farrowing. During farrowing, she is frequently active, causing her to expend excessive energy. This is especially true in the hot summer months. If the sow does not drink enough water before and after farrowing, she may become extremely thirsty and restless, which can lead to piglet-eating. Therefore, after the piglets are born, monitor the sow closely for a period of time to prevent her from eating them.
Because of the sow’s restlessness, newborn piglets are also at risk of being crushed by the sow, and most of those affected are weak piglets with limited mobility. During monitoring of farrowing, take particular care to protect these piglets to reduce piglet mortality.
From birth to 60 days of age, piglets are in the feeding and management stage. The following describes summer feeding and management of piglets during this stage.
Three. Management during the lactation period
Post-birth procedures
The milk secreted by sows within 24 hours after farrowing is called colostrum. It is rich in immunoglobulins, which are absorbed by piglets into their bloodstream and can provide effective disease resistance. Breast milk also contains large amounts of fat, sugar, and protein, which are readily digested and absorbed by piglets. To improve piglets’ disease resistance in summer and promote healthy, rapid development, piglets must receive colostrum within two hours of birth. For piglets that are hungry and have limited nutrient reserves, timely suckling is key to improving disease resistance and reducing mortality.
In summer, piglets should have their teeth clipped and tails docked 1-2 days after birth; male piglets should be castrated after seven days. When clipping teeth, docking tails, and castrating, disinfect the piglets’ wounds and the instruments used to prevent infection.
Ensure adequate iron supplementation
Iron is an essential component of red blood cells. The iron piglets receive from their mothers at birth is very limited and can meet their growth needs for only 3-5 days. If iron is not supplemented in time, piglets will become iron-deficient and develop anemia. To effectively prevent iron deficiency in piglets, an iron preparation should be injected after birth. A commonly used iron supplement is iron dextran. It can be injected in two doses: the first on day 3 after birth, and the second at 10-15 days of age.
Creep Feeding for Suckling Piglets
Creep feeding means teaching piglets to eat feed during the suckling period. It is very important for piglet growth: first, it helps piglets become familiar with and accustomed to the smell of feed, trains them to eat and chew solid feed, stimulates the activity of various plant-based amylases and proteases in the digestive tract, and reduces the stress response of weaned piglets. Second, supplementary feeding can make up for nutritional deficiencies caused by an insufficient supply of breast milk. If supplementary feeding is provided in time, piglets can learn to eat feed and adapt to it, and after 3 weeks of age, they can obtain a considerable portion of their nutrition from feed.
In summer, the best time to start creep feeding is at 5-7 days of age. Starting too early is ineffective, while starting too late fails to achieve the two benefits described above. It can also directly result in piglets having poor digestive capacity at weaning, with the feed they eat being poorly digested and absorbed, causing diarrhea.
During the suckling period, the total amount of supplementary feed for each piglet should be 400-700 grams. Creep feed is generally purchased directly from the market as feed specially formulated for piglets. When purchasing, crumble feed is generally preferred because it has a balanced distribution of nutrients, appropriately sized particles, and less waste from scattering, making it more suitable for creep feeding piglets than pelleted or mash feed.
Temperature requirements
In summer, the relatively high temperatures often lead to the importance of keeping piglets warm being overlooked. The first 3 weeks after birth and nighttime are especially critical for keeping piglets warm, and this must not be neglected. The optimal temperature for newborn piglets is generally 32℃. Over the following 4-5 weeks, the temperature should be lowered by 2℃ each week. Piglets can be kept warm using heat lamps and by adding dry, clean bedding. In addition, special attention should be paid to drafts caused by air currents through gaps in the windows or walls of the farrowing house. In areas exposed to drafts, the temperature drops by 3-5℃, which can cause diarrhea in piglets and affect their subsequent growth and development. Dampness in the pens is also an important factor in keeping piglets warm. Damp floors not only make piglets more susceptible to cold but also provide a breeding ground for bacteria, which can seriously affect their growth.
IV. Management of Piglets After Weaning
Temperature requirements
As the piglets grow, they are weaned after four weeks. After weaning, to avoid stress from the environment and temperature, do not move piglets directly into a larger housing area. First place them in a nursery room for the nursery period; once this period is over, they can be moved directly to a grower house. Piglet pens should be clean and hygienic, with dry floors, fresh air, and a quiet environment, and should be disinfected 1 to 2 times every half month. During the first few days after weaning, piglets eat less and lose body fat. At this time, piglets are very sensitive to temperature; temperatures that are too low can cause colds and diarrhea. Although summer temperatures are relatively high, provide warmth at night when the day-to-night temperature difference is large. The housing temperature for newly weaned piglets should be 2 to 4°C higher than at the end of the nursing period, or should be set so piglets lie stretched out at rest without huddling together. The lower the weaning weight, the higher the temperature requirement; a relatively high and stable housing temperature is needed. One week after weaning, gradually lower the housing temperature until supplemental heating is no longer needed. After weaning, keep the temperature in piglet pens at around 26°C.
In hot summer weather, while providing warmth for weaned piglets, take care to protect them from heat and cool them down. Prolonged high temperatures can cause heat stress and heatstroke in piglets. Adjust the temperature as needed according to actual conditions, using measures such as misting and ventilation to cool them down.
Feeding After Weaning
In summer, piglets are weaned after 3-4 weeks. At weaning, continue using the creep feed given during the nursing period; do not switch feed immediately, as this can reduce stress for weaned piglets. Choose a nursery feed formulated specifically for piglets, and make the feed transition gradually, 5-7 days after weaning. During the first half month after weaning, feed piglets 1 to 2 more times per day than during the nursing period, mainly by adding a nighttime feeding to prevent them from becoming restless due to hunger. Do not give too much at each feeding; aim for about seven or eight tenths full so that piglets maintain a strong appetite. During supplemental feeding, be sure to keep the feed fresh, as piglets have very high requirements in this regard.
Five. Provide sufficient clean drinking water
Lastly, one point bears emphasizing: in summer, be sure to provide piglets with sufficient clean drinking water. Summer temperatures are relatively high, and piglets need more water, so providing an adequate amount of water is essential. In addition, experimental data show that, up to a certain point, piglets’ feed intake increases as their water intake increases. Piglet growth rate is related to water intake, and piglets that drink more water grow faster. Piglets have relatively poor disease resistance, so while providing sufficient drinking water, be sure to provide clean drinking water.