Manypig farmershave the same question: They feed their pigs reasonably well, vaccinate them on schedule, and disinfect the premises regularly, yet the pigs still have rough coats, grow slowly, fail to gain weight despite eating, and sometimes rub against walls or pen rails, or develop flaky, peeling skin.
Most people first suspect a feed problem or subclinical illness in the pigs, overlooking inadequate deworming. What’s even more frustrating is that many pig farms do deworm, but at the wrong time, at the wrong frequency, or during the wrong stage. The deworming is then ineffective, wasting money on medication and delaying the pigs during a crucial growth period.
Today, we’ll explain all at once the deworming schedule, frequency, and year-round plan that farmers most often get wrong. This is practical, down-to-earth guidance, so after reading it, you won’t have to deworm blindly again.
First, let’s correct the biggest misconception: waiting until pigs rub themselves because they itch or develop flaky skin before deworming them. This is a common mistake among many small-scale farmers. If pigs are visibly rubbing against walls, losing hair, becoming thin, or developing diarrhea, that means internal and external parasite levels have already become seriously excessive. The parasites not only rob the pigs of nutrients but also damage the intestinal mucosa and weaken their immune systems. By the time deworming begins, the pigs have already lost a substantial part of their growth cycle, and the losses simply cannot be made up. Deworming pigs should always be preventive, not a remedy after they become ill.
The second major misconception: deworming haphazardly throughout the year, with no fixed schedule—doing it whenever you happen to think of it. Parasites include internal worms such as tapeworms and roundworms, and external parasites such as mites and lice. They have fixed reproductive cycles. If your deworming intervals are irregular, one batch may be cleared out only for a new batch to hatch, leaving the pig herd perpetually infested and inevitably slowing growth.
Many farmers deworm only once or twice a year, or once every six months. This frequency is completely inadequate for today’s high-density farming systems, and is also a hidden cause of many runt pigs and a high feed-to-gain ratio on pig farms.
Here’s a standard deworming routine suitable for small and medium-sized pig farms, designed to be simple, easy to remember, and ready to put into practice without pitfalls.
First, for grower-finisher pigs: deworm for the first time after weaning, at around 45 days of age. Piglets have delicate digestive systems, and roundworm larvae can directly damage the intestines, leading to poor nutrient absorption and slow growth over the long term. After the first deworming, deworm again two months later, and continue until market. Regular deworming throughout helps keep the herd’s coats smooth and growth steady, with little weight loss or growth stagnation.
Next, sows and boars: this is the group most easily overlooked. Many pig farms deworm only piglets, not sows, allowing parasites to spread repeatedly through vertical transmission and reinfection. Replacement gilts must be dewormed once before breeding; deworm sows that have farrowed before half a month before farrowing. This both clears parasites from the sows and reduces the spread of parasite eggs in the farrowing room, greatly lowering the likelihood of piglets carrying parasites. Deworm boars once per quarter to maintainbreeding pigsherd health.
Important reminder: deworm frequently in spring and summer, and don’t slack off in autumn and winter. In the warm, humid spring and summer seasons, parasite eggs hatch quickly, so deworming must strictly follow the schedule. Many people assume there are fewer parasites in winter and deworming is unnecessary. In fact, parasites merely lie dormant in winter; they do not disappear. If you don’t deworm in winter, they can immediately break out on a large scale in spring, devastating the entire batch of pigs.
One more common misconception: treating only the pigs and not the environment. Mites survive in large numbers in gaps in the pig housing, on walls, and on floors. If you only mix deworming medicine into the pigs’ feed, the parasite eggs remain in the environment, and the pigs can become reinfected just three days after treatment. Effective parasite control requires treating the pigs and the environment at the same time to eliminate the source completely.
Many pig farms struggle to raise healthy pigs and earn low profits not because of major problems, but because small details like parasite control are overlooked. Parasites are like “invisible thieves”: they constantly steal nutrients from pigs, damage their intestines, and weaken their immunity. No matter how good the feed or how expensive the additives are, you’re still working for the parasites.
Here’s the truth about raising pigs: parasite control shouldn’t be based on guesswork; it should follow a scientifically determined schedule. Get the timing and frequency right, and treat both the pigs and their environment. Without spending extra, you can noticeably improve the pigs’ growth, coat, and feed-to-meat ratio, and easily increase the pig farm’s overall returns.
Most people first suspect a feed problem or subclinical illness in the pigs, overlooking inadequate deworming. What’s even more frustrating is that many pig farms do deworm, but at the wrong time, at the wrong frequency, or during the wrong stage. The deworming is then ineffective, wasting money on medication and delaying the pigs during a crucial growth period.
Today, we’ll explain all at once the deworming schedule, frequency, and year-round plan that farmers most often get wrong. This is practical, down-to-earth guidance, so after reading it, you won’t have to deworm blindly again.
First, let’s correct the biggest misconception: waiting until pigs rub themselves because they itch or develop flaky skin before deworming them. This is a common mistake among many small-scale farmers. If pigs are visibly rubbing against walls, losing hair, becoming thin, or developing diarrhea, that means internal and external parasite levels have already become seriously excessive. The parasites not only rob the pigs of nutrients but also damage the intestinal mucosa and weaken their immune systems. By the time deworming begins, the pigs have already lost a substantial part of their growth cycle, and the losses simply cannot be made up. Deworming pigs should always be preventive, not a remedy after they become ill.
The second major misconception: deworming haphazardly throughout the year, with no fixed schedule—doing it whenever you happen to think of it. Parasites include internal worms such as tapeworms and roundworms, and external parasites such as mites and lice. They have fixed reproductive cycles. If your deworming intervals are irregular, one batch may be cleared out only for a new batch to hatch, leaving the pig herd perpetually infested and inevitably slowing growth.
Many farmers deworm only once or twice a year, or once every six months. This frequency is completely inadequate for today’s high-density farming systems, and is also a hidden cause of many runt pigs and a high feed-to-gain ratio on pig farms.
Here’s a standard deworming routine suitable for small and medium-sized pig farms, designed to be simple, easy to remember, and ready to put into practice without pitfalls.
First, for grower-finisher pigs: deworm for the first time after weaning, at around 45 days of age. Piglets have delicate digestive systems, and roundworm larvae can directly damage the intestines, leading to poor nutrient absorption and slow growth over the long term. After the first deworming, deworm again two months later, and continue until market. Regular deworming throughout helps keep the herd’s coats smooth and growth steady, with little weight loss or growth stagnation.
Next, sows and boars: this is the group most easily overlooked. Many pig farms deworm only piglets, not sows, allowing parasites to spread repeatedly through vertical transmission and reinfection. Replacement gilts must be dewormed once before breeding; deworm sows that have farrowed before half a month before farrowing. This both clears parasites from the sows and reduces the spread of parasite eggs in the farrowing room, greatly lowering the likelihood of piglets carrying parasites. Deworm boars once per quarter to maintainbreeding pigsherd health.
Important reminder: deworm frequently in spring and summer, and don’t slack off in autumn and winter. In the warm, humid spring and summer seasons, parasite eggs hatch quickly, so deworming must strictly follow the schedule. Many people assume there are fewer parasites in winter and deworming is unnecessary. In fact, parasites merely lie dormant in winter; they do not disappear. If you don’t deworm in winter, they can immediately break out on a large scale in spring, devastating the entire batch of pigs.
One more common misconception: treating only the pigs and not the environment. Mites survive in large numbers in gaps in the pig housing, on walls, and on floors. If you only mix deworming medicine into the pigs’ feed, the parasite eggs remain in the environment, and the pigs can become reinfected just three days after treatment. Effective parasite control requires treating the pigs and the environment at the same time to eliminate the source completely.
Many pig farms struggle to raise healthy pigs and earn low profits not because of major problems, but because small details like parasite control are overlooked. Parasites are like “invisible thieves”: they constantly steal nutrients from pigs, damage their intestines, and weaken their immunity. No matter how good the feed or how expensive the additives are, you’re still working for the parasites.
Here’s the truth about raising pigs: parasite control shouldn’t be based on guesswork; it should follow a scientifically determined schedule. Get the timing and frequency right, and treat both the pigs and their environment. Without spending extra, you can noticeably improve the pigs’ growth, coat, and feed-to-meat ratio, and easily increase the pig farm’s overall returns.