The period before and after farrowing is the highest-risk and most problem-prone stage in the production process on a pig farm. Problems include persistent constipation before farrowing, anorexia after farrowing, prolonged farrowing, weakness and paralysis, agalactia after farrowing, and metritis and mastitis.
These problems do not cause large-scale acute deaths in the herd, but they can lead to a series of issues, including more abortions and stillbirths, a higher proportion of weak piglets, lower birth weights, insufficient lactation, reduced piglet survival rates, and higher rates of premature sow culling.
I. First, distinguish the five main signs
1. Digestive tract abnormalities: persistent constipation before delivery, anorexia after delivery, mental lethargy, and complete feed refusal.
2. Movement disorders: joint pain before and after delivery, lameness, weakness when standing, and postpartum paralysis.
3. Abnormal reproductive performance: abortion in mid-to-late pregnancy, stillbirth, prolonged labor, insufficient labor strength, and dystocia.
4. Poor piglet quality: poor uniformity at birth, low birth weight, and a marked increase in weak piglets within the litter.
5. Postpartum inflammation and lactation disorders: the “triad” of metritis, mastitis, and postpartum fever occurs frequently; postpartum agalactia, reduced milk production, and thin milk.
II. Constipation and anorexia before and after farrowing: causes and treatment plan
(I) Causes
1. Insufficient exercise: When kept in stalls, sows lack exercise for extended periods, causing intestinal peristalsis to remain weakened and leading to habitual constipation.
2. Physiological compression: In late pregnancy, the rapidly growing fetus compresses the rectum, obstructing the passage of feces. This is the primary physiological factor behind constipation in late pregnancy.
3. Unbalanced diet composition: Feed particles that are too fine, a severe lack of crude fiber, and prolonged absence of green fodder provide insufficient intestinal stimulation and slow emptying, resulting in intractable constipation.
4. Large change in dietary protein: A sudden switch from a low-protein prepartum gestation diet to a high-protein lactation diet changes intestinal osmotic pressure and causes abnormal fullness, triggering feed accumulation, constipation, and loss of appetite.
5. Viral diseases and internal heat: Swine fever, circovirus, high-fever diseases, and toxin accumulation in the body cause metabolic disorders and excessive internal heat, presenting as constipation, loss of appetite, and a persistent low-grade fever.
(II) Treatment Plan
InjectionTreatment: Intramuscularly inject compound vitamin B, together with one of the following: amoxicillin, ceftiofur, or enrofloxacin, to reduce inflammation, promote peristalsis, and restore feed intake.
Dietary adjustment: Add yeast tablets and baking soda to the ration, and feed an appropriate amount of green forage to soften feces and restore intestinal motility, addressing recurrent constipation and postpartum anorexia at the source.
III. Arthritis and paralysis before and after parturition
(I) Root causes
1.Nutritional and metabolic imbalance: An imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the diet and insufficient vitamin intake, along with restrictive housing, lack of exercise, and insufficient light exposure, cause calcium loss from the bones, leading to postpartum osteoporosis, weakness when standing, or even paralysis.
2.Low blood calcium: Poor feed intake after delivery and insufficient calcium, phosphorus, and mineral intake cause the body to draw on calcium reserves in the bones, rapidly triggering postpartum weakness, difficulty standing, and lameness.
3.Bacterial infection: Pathogens lurking on pig farms, such as Streptococcus, Haemophilus parasuis, and Eperythrozoon, can cause secondary joint inflammation, swelling and pain, and difficulty walking when resistance declines before and after delivery.
4.Damp and cold environment: Damp, cold flooring in the housing keeps sows lying on cold, damp surfaces for long periods, triggering rheumatoid arthritis, joint effusion, painful lameness.
(II) Treatment plan
Routine prevention: Adjust the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the feed, increase activity as much as possible, improve the dryness of the housing, and reduce cold and damp stress.
Severe casesTreatment(Paralysis, rheumatic lameness): Inject 10% sodium salicylate 20–50ml + 50% glucose 40ml intravenously via the ear vein for 3 consecutive days to reduce inflammation, combat rheumatism, and relieve joint pain.
IV. Low or No Milk Production After Farrowing
(I) Root Causes
1. Body Condition and Nutrition: Sows that are overweight or underweight, or malnourished, and have long-term deficiencies in micronutrients such as vitamin E and selenium may have underdeveloped mammary glands and reduced lactation function.
2.Mastitis: Subclinical or clinical mastitis causes blockage of the mammary ducts and inflammation of the mammary gland, obstructing milk secretion.
3.Stress and endocrine disorders: Constipation, high fever, inflammation, and stress from parturition before and after delivery can cause endocrine disorders and elevated stress hormones, suppressing prolactin secretion and resulting in a sudden cessation of postpartum lactation.
(II) Treatment plan
1.Reduce inflammation and stabilize the herd: Administer long-acting oxytetracycline by intramuscular injection after delivery to address postpartum inflammation and prevent mastitis and metritis from subsequently affecting lactation.
2. Lactation stimulation: Administer special lactation-stimulating tablets orally, or inject 20 units of oxytocin intramuscularly to clear the mammary glands and promote milk letdown.
3. Traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen the body and stimulate lactation: Use 30g each of Angelica sinensis, Vaccaria seeds, Rhizoma Rabdosiae, and Tetrapanax pith. Boil to extract the liquid, mix it with wheat bran, and feed it for 3 consecutive days to replenish qi, invigorate blood circulation, unblock the channels, and promote lactation, thereby improving agalactia and thin milk.
V. Commonly Used Medications in Perinatal Clinical Practice
The following adjunctive medications are compiled for common perinatal emergencies and functional disorders. Select according to the condition to provide symptomatic relief:
1.Correct peripartum acidosis: For prepartum and postpartum fever, loss of appetite, indigestion, and metabolic disorders, use sodium bicarbonate and sodium lactate to regulate the body's acid-base balance and relieve internal heat and acidosis.
2.Relieve breathing difficulties and panting: For stress-induced panting before birth, panting due to high fever, and breathing difficulties caused by postpartum weakness, use aminophylline, epinephrine, and ephedrine hydrochloride for rapid relief of panting and to clear the airways.
3.Anti-inflammatory and anti-stress effects; cardiac support and protection of function: Dexamethasone provides anti-inflammatory and anti-stress effects and enhances myocardial contractility. It is used to relieve severe postpartum inflammatory reactions.
4.Protect the liver and organs and restore physical strength: For peripartum weakness, poor metabolism, and heavy liver burden, use in combination with ATP, coenzyme A, and inosine to repair the liver and kidneys, restore physical strength, and shorten the recovery period.
VI. Summary: Three Lines of Defense in Perinatal Management
The sow prepartum and postpartum syndrome is not a single disease, but a complex issue involving the interplay of husbandry management, nutritional metabolism, environmental stress, and pathogen infection.
These problems do not cause large-scale acute deaths in the herd, but they can lead to a series of issues, including more abortions and stillbirths, a higher proportion of weak piglets, lower birth weights, insufficient lactation, reduced piglet survival rates, and higher rates of premature sow culling.
I. First, distinguish the five main signs
1. Digestive tract abnormalities: persistent constipation before delivery, anorexia after delivery, mental lethargy, and complete feed refusal.
2. Movement disorders: joint pain before and after delivery, lameness, weakness when standing, and postpartum paralysis.
3. Abnormal reproductive performance: abortion in mid-to-late pregnancy, stillbirth, prolonged labor, insufficient labor strength, and dystocia.
4. Poor piglet quality: poor uniformity at birth, low birth weight, and a marked increase in weak piglets within the litter.
5. Postpartum inflammation and lactation disorders: the “triad” of metritis, mastitis, and postpartum fever occurs frequently; postpartum agalactia, reduced milk production, and thin milk.
II. Constipation and anorexia before and after farrowing: causes and treatment plan
(I) Causes
1. Insufficient exercise: When kept in stalls, sows lack exercise for extended periods, causing intestinal peristalsis to remain weakened and leading to habitual constipation.
2. Physiological compression: In late pregnancy, the rapidly growing fetus compresses the rectum, obstructing the passage of feces. This is the primary physiological factor behind constipation in late pregnancy.
3. Unbalanced diet composition: Feed particles that are too fine, a severe lack of crude fiber, and prolonged absence of green fodder provide insufficient intestinal stimulation and slow emptying, resulting in intractable constipation.
4. Large change in dietary protein: A sudden switch from a low-protein prepartum gestation diet to a high-protein lactation diet changes intestinal osmotic pressure and causes abnormal fullness, triggering feed accumulation, constipation, and loss of appetite.
5. Viral diseases and internal heat: Swine fever, circovirus, high-fever diseases, and toxin accumulation in the body cause metabolic disorders and excessive internal heat, presenting as constipation, loss of appetite, and a persistent low-grade fever.
(II) Treatment Plan
InjectionTreatment: Intramuscularly inject compound vitamin B, together with one of the following: amoxicillin, ceftiofur, or enrofloxacin, to reduce inflammation, promote peristalsis, and restore feed intake.
Dietary adjustment: Add yeast tablets and baking soda to the ration, and feed an appropriate amount of green forage to soften feces and restore intestinal motility, addressing recurrent constipation and postpartum anorexia at the source.
III. Arthritis and paralysis before and after parturition
(I) Root causes
1.Nutritional and metabolic imbalance: An imbalanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the diet and insufficient vitamin intake, along with restrictive housing, lack of exercise, and insufficient light exposure, cause calcium loss from the bones, leading to postpartum osteoporosis, weakness when standing, or even paralysis.
2.Low blood calcium: Poor feed intake after delivery and insufficient calcium, phosphorus, and mineral intake cause the body to draw on calcium reserves in the bones, rapidly triggering postpartum weakness, difficulty standing, and lameness.
3.Bacterial infection: Pathogens lurking on pig farms, such as Streptococcus, Haemophilus parasuis, and Eperythrozoon, can cause secondary joint inflammation, swelling and pain, and difficulty walking when resistance declines before and after delivery.
4.Damp and cold environment: Damp, cold flooring in the housing keeps sows lying on cold, damp surfaces for long periods, triggering rheumatoid arthritis, joint effusion, painful lameness.
(II) Treatment plan
Routine prevention: Adjust the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the feed, increase activity as much as possible, improve the dryness of the housing, and reduce cold and damp stress.
Severe casesTreatment(Paralysis, rheumatic lameness): Inject 10% sodium salicylate 20–50ml + 50% glucose 40ml intravenously via the ear vein for 3 consecutive days to reduce inflammation, combat rheumatism, and relieve joint pain.
IV. Low or No Milk Production After Farrowing
(I) Root Causes
1. Body Condition and Nutrition: Sows that are overweight or underweight, or malnourished, and have long-term deficiencies in micronutrients such as vitamin E and selenium may have underdeveloped mammary glands and reduced lactation function.
2.Mastitis: Subclinical or clinical mastitis causes blockage of the mammary ducts and inflammation of the mammary gland, obstructing milk secretion.
3.Stress and endocrine disorders: Constipation, high fever, inflammation, and stress from parturition before and after delivery can cause endocrine disorders and elevated stress hormones, suppressing prolactin secretion and resulting in a sudden cessation of postpartum lactation.
(II) Treatment plan
1.Reduce inflammation and stabilize the herd: Administer long-acting oxytetracycline by intramuscular injection after delivery to address postpartum inflammation and prevent mastitis and metritis from subsequently affecting lactation.
2. Lactation stimulation: Administer special lactation-stimulating tablets orally, or inject 20 units of oxytocin intramuscularly to clear the mammary glands and promote milk letdown.
3. Traditional Chinese medicine to strengthen the body and stimulate lactation: Use 30g each of Angelica sinensis, Vaccaria seeds, Rhizoma Rabdosiae, and Tetrapanax pith. Boil to extract the liquid, mix it with wheat bran, and feed it for 3 consecutive days to replenish qi, invigorate blood circulation, unblock the channels, and promote lactation, thereby improving agalactia and thin milk.
V. Commonly Used Medications in Perinatal Clinical Practice
The following adjunctive medications are compiled for common perinatal emergencies and functional disorders. Select according to the condition to provide symptomatic relief:
1.Correct peripartum acidosis: For prepartum and postpartum fever, loss of appetite, indigestion, and metabolic disorders, use sodium bicarbonate and sodium lactate to regulate the body's acid-base balance and relieve internal heat and acidosis.
2.Relieve breathing difficulties and panting: For stress-induced panting before birth, panting due to high fever, and breathing difficulties caused by postpartum weakness, use aminophylline, epinephrine, and ephedrine hydrochloride for rapid relief of panting and to clear the airways.
3.Anti-inflammatory and anti-stress effects; cardiac support and protection of function: Dexamethasone provides anti-inflammatory and anti-stress effects and enhances myocardial contractility. It is used to relieve severe postpartum inflammatory reactions.
4.Protect the liver and organs and restore physical strength: For peripartum weakness, poor metabolism, and heavy liver burden, use in combination with ATP, coenzyme A, and inosine to repair the liver and kidneys, restore physical strength, and shorten the recovery period.
VI. Summary: Three Lines of Defense in Perinatal Management
The sow prepartum and postpartum syndrome is not a single disease, but a complex issue involving the interplay of husbandry management, nutritional metabolism, environmental stress, and pathogen infection.