Every owner of a farm containing sows should know how long a pig walks while pregnant and what are the features of this process. Without sufficient knowledge, it will be difficult to prepare well for childbirth, provide assistance to livestock, and properly equip and raise offspring.
What changes occur in a pig's body during pregnancy?
The gestation period is considered difficult in the life of a pig, so preparation for it must be appropriate. At this moment, the following changes occur in the piggy female’s body:
- Intra-abdominal pressure increases, due to this, acts of defecation and urination become more frequent, and breathing becomes more frequent. Protein can be found in the urine of fertilized pigs.
- Hypertrophy of the heart muscle of a pregnant woman, especially the left ventricle, is observed, and vascular tone increases significantly.
- There is a change in metabolism, namely disturbances in mineral metabolism, the volume of calcium and phosphorus decreases, and the alkaline reserve in the blood is depleted.
- Accumulation of nitrogenous substances and placental hormones is possible, and the absorption of carbon and fat in a pregnant woman improves.
Important! You can find out that a female is pregnant based on many external signs, but conclusions can only be drawn after 1 month.
What determines the timing?
The duration of pregnancy in pigs, in theory, lasts on average from 110 to 126 days. In practice, a pig bears piglets for a little less than 4 months. Experienced farmers indicate an average gestation period of 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days.
The duration of this process also depends on many factors that influence not only the timing, but also the course of pregnancy as a whole:
- Breed. Small and rapidly developing types of pigs bear offspring much less than others. For example, the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig gives birth to more than 20 piglets in one farrow, while pregnancy lasts significantly less than 4 months.
- Age. Young individuals require more time for the normal formation of offspring. Pigs of the same breed are able to bear smaller piglets.
- Number of births before farrowing.The first time pregnancy lasts a relatively long time, by the next litter the uterus gets used to the load and helps the fetus to form in a short time.
- Pig size. Large females take more days to form a healthy fetus, while sows of the same breed weighing less can carry and give birth to a piglet faster.
- Conditions. The weather is of great importance, since in cold times pregnancy usually progresses quickly and without complications.
It is worth considering that the gestation period of pigs is an individual feature that can vary depending on external and internal factors.
Important! Experienced experts say that everything necessary for childbirth should be prepared by the 110th day before the expected moment of conception.
How to determine if a pig is pregnant
A pig’s pregnancy can be determined 1 month after fertilization by several signs:
- lethargy, smooth movement, apathy;
- discharge of curd secretion from the vagina;
- swelling of the nipples;
- for a month there is no desire for sexual intercourse;
- change in appetite;
- increase in body weight.
There are other methods for determining the pregnancy of an animal, which differ in accuracy and accessibility.
Test
Many farmers resort to the Burkina test, which helps determine at home whether a pig is pregnant with 98% accuracy.
Test instructions:
- Collection of test subject's urine.
- Filtration of the resulting liquid.
- Adding 2 drops of hydrochloric acid, an aqueous solution of philinhydrazyl hydrochloride, and 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Boiling the resulting mass and cooling.
If the fluid turns dark red, this is a sign that the pig is pregnant. If the urine has not changed its yellow color, then the cattle is not pregnant.
Examination by a specialist
A veterinarian or other specialist with the necessary skills conducts rectal examinations; these are possible only 30 days after mating. Before the procedure, it is necessary to restrain the pig, insert a gloved hand treated with Vaseline into the rectum and palpate the aerial, genitourinary and uterine arteries. The latter should increase in size and vibrate. This condition indicates that the pig is carrying piglets.
An experienced veterinarian can determine the timing of pregnancy depending on the enlargement and pulsation of all three arteries.
Doppler device
The Doppler device detects the heart rate of the fetus the pig is carrying. Its accuracy on the 21st day after fertilization is 90%. In addition to the first month, it can be used in the future to monitor the condition of future offspring.
Ultrasound
Pregnancy can be determined using an ultrasound machine; this method is usually used on large farms and farms that breed pigs. It can be used on the 20th day after fertilization. If you follow the deadlines and rules, the guarantee of the result is 95%.
The device, depending on the capabilities of the equipment and its modernity, determines whether the pig is pregnant by the presence of:
- fetal heartbeat;
- fluid in the uterus.
The pig can be in either a standing or lying position, the main thing is that it does not move.
Biopsy
A vaginal biopsy is an expensive method that relies on mucus from the pig's genital tract to determine for sure whether the animal is pregnant. To do this, a special instrument is inserted into the vagina at least 150 mm so that the device is covered with liquid, and a small amount of mucus is caught, which is placed in a special container and sent to the laboratory.
False pregnancy
A pig may experience a false pregnancy, a phenomenon in which similar symptoms appear and the estrus ceases immediately after mating. In such a situation, after some time you need to place the female with the males and observe her behavior. If a pig behaves rudely and does not let anyone near it, it means it is pregnant.
Caring for sows and piglets
In anticipation of offspring, farmers should carefully prepare and create favorable conditions for childbirth and further maintenance of the sow:
- wash the pigsty from dirt with hot water using alkali;
- whitewash the walls with lime;
- set the correct temperature (15-25 degrees), humidity (65-70%);
- Cover the bottom of the room with straw or sawdust.
Experienced farmers advise purchasing special maternity cages and sending a pregnant pig there a few days before giving birth in order to minimize the mortality of piglets after asphyxia. In contractions with an interval of 5 minutes, the birth of babies begins. To stimulate in hot weather, you can pour water over the animal.
Important! At the first contractions of a pig, you should call a veterinarian to avoid various consequences.
In the first days after farrowing, the sow needs to accustom each piglet to a specific nipple and monitor that all the babies are sucking their own nipples.
This is important not only for piglets, but also for the sow, as it will protect her from mastitis. Also monitor how the piglets' umbilical cord dries out.
A tired woman in labor should be given rest, her health should be monitored and certain care should be provided, which includes:
- Constant access to water.
- The first feeding is 12 hours after farrowing in the form of liquid mash.And a day later - a full nutritious diet containing a large amount of feed and fat-containing products.
- A short-term walk on the 3-4th day, which will improve digestion.
Signals to contact a veterinarian:
- pig refusal to feed;
- purulent discharge from the genitals;
- udder swelling.
Possible problems and illnesses
There are many problems at the time of pregnancy of a pig that arise from errors in nutrition, keeping animals, as well as from the presence of various diseases.
Reasons for the birth of sick, non-viable piglets:
- lack of protein, vitamins and minerals in the diet;
- consumption of low-quality moldy or sour feed;
- drinking ice water;
- injuries to the uterus and fetuses due to transfers and movements through narrow passages;
- abnormalities and diseases.
Among the most common pig diseases that cause mass abortions are brucellosis, leptospirosis, mycoplasmosis, transmissible gastroenteritis, enterovirus infection, plague, and Aujeszky's disease.
Features of pregnancy in Vietnamese pigs
Vietnamese pigs have a gestation period that is shorter than other breeds. The maximum period is 110 days. The gestation period depends on the number of fruits. During the first pregnancy, the output will be an average of 5 piglets, and in the future from 9 to 12.
