Reducing Stillbirths and Mummifications
70-90%
of stillborn piglets occur during farrowing PRRSv is a major cause of
pre-farrowing death
Recognising the stillborn piglet |
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Mummified piglets. The age
can be estimated by crown to rump length in mm divided by 3 and add 21 = days |
Thimbles covering the feet are worn down within 15 minutes of
life |
Presence of long umbilical cord and meconium (piglet faeces on
skin) |
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Reducing stillbirths |
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1 |
Supervision |
Every 30 minutes.
Use oxytocin (5-10iu).
Prostaglandin inducement. Manual interference |
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2 |
Age of the
sow |
Stillbirths increase after parity 7 |
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3 |
Increase in
litter size |
Stillbirths increase after 12 |
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4 |
Recognise the
problem sow |
From the pervious litter and age etc. |
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5 |
Slow
farrowings |
Normal farrowing less than 8 hours. If longer consider low Iron or Calcium in
the blood. Fe less than 9 µmol/l or Ca
less than 1.9 mmol/l consider reviewing diet. |
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6 |
Sow feeding
/condition |
Over fat sows have longer farrowings. Lack of exercise results in longer
farrowing times. High parasite levels
or disease will increase farrowing times or result in poor uterine tone (push
effect) |
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7 |
Temperature
of farrowing house |
Keep below 20•C.
Watch placement of rear heat lamp |
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8 |
Nutrition/water |
Water flow rate needs to be greater than 2 litres
per minute. Increase fibre before
farrowing. Both help to reduce constipation.
Do not overfeed before farrowing as it will lead to oedema. |
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9 |
Vaccination |
Parvovirus to gilts single injection on arrival |
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10 |
Crate design |
Allow sufficient room for stockpeople to
comfortably attend to the sow at farrowing time. Reduce stress and do not
have sows cramped when lying down. No
draughts, watch door closure policy.
Have lights dimmed and not too bright.
Playing music will help to settle sows. Intermingle sows and gilts |
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11 |
Management of
piglet tasks |
Try not to teeth clip, tattoo etc. piglets within
hearing of sows farrowing to reduce stress |
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12 |
Feed back |
Feedback faecal material from weaners and
farrowing house to gilts and sows.
Depends on farm situation, consult with vet. This will help with enteroviruses, JEV,
Torque Teno virus and Circoviridae stabilization. |
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Mummified pigs causes and control |
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1 |
Parvovirus |
Vaccinate gilts on arrival older than 6 months and two weeks
before first service |
2 |
PRRSv |
If unit positive, ensure new gilts receive feedback from weaners
and have contact with cull growers.
Vaccinate gilts and boars in isolation before moving into a positive
herd |
3 |
Mycotoxins |
Ensure gestating sows do not have access to mouldy feed. Watch feed bin management and the
management of the forward feed troughs |
4 |
Leptospirosis |
Ensure rats do not have access to the water supply. Control rodents around the farm. Have two wallows available in rotation
allow one to dry out completely before refilling |
5 |
Other SMEDI (Enteroviruses, JEV,
Circoviridae, Torque Teno Virus) |
Hygiene, feedback to reduce likelihood of infection Check foetal heart for PCV2 by IHC. |
6 |
Trauma |
Reduce mixing stressors and moving of sows, particularly through
narrow doorways. |
How pathogens move around the uterus
between piglets
Stillborn
Diagnosis
It is important to differentiate between those animals which are stillborn and those who died with pre-weaning mortality
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Mummified piglet are
obviously piglets which have died |
Pre-partum
stillborns can be easily recognized if partially autolysed, as shown. |
Fresher
piglets are more difficult, check the opacity of the cornea. Freshly dead (less than 24 hours) the
cornea will still be clear |
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A stillborn piglet will be
wet with a long wet umbilical cord |
Check the feet for
‘slippers’ which protect the uterus from the sharp piglet’s nails |
A piglet will rub off their
slippers in about 15 minutes |
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Breathed |
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Meconium will be present on
the skin, in the mouth, trachea and stomach.
The meconium is the feaces in the unborn piglet’s large bowel, passed
when they go anoxic |
The stomach will only contain
fluid with some meconium, there will be no milk or colostrum |
A stillborn piglet’s lung
will sink in water, whereas if the piglet breathed, its lungs will float |
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Remember to check for the obvious – stillborn piglets will not be ear notched or tattooed. It will not have umbilical clips etc |
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Even
‘obviously’ stillborn piglets may be born alive |
Stillborn piglet with the
umbilical cord around its neck |