I'm in the middle of farrowing a Duroc sow and for the first time I'm having a hard time keeping the sow from trying to kill the babies. I'm curious how you pros out there deal with it and will she get over this?

This happens from time to time with gilts. In many cases simply removing the baby pigs from her during farrowing will help. Once she is finished gently start returning the pigs to her and see how she does.

2nd possibility is that she may try to kill one pig then settle down. Had a sow 30+years ago that killed one pig every litter then settled down and would wean 11-12 pigs.

If for some reason she still tries to kill her pigs after farrowing is over, there isn't much you can do except to try and tape her moth closed with duct tape until she settles down. I've heard of the whiskey in the ear thing and even tried it once but it was just a waste of Jack Daniel.

If the latter is the case she needs shipped and if you are able to save any pigs make sure the boars are castrated and the gilt pigs marketed. The showpig industrty tolerates way too many junk genetic hogs.

As buckibri said, keep the pigs away until she finishes farrowing. If she still goes after them, getting her sedated sometimes helps, either with the help of a vet or with alcohol. Once farrowing is done and she lets them nurse they will usually calm down and stop biting at them. Not always though. If nothing works you'll need to foster the pigs off or feed them with milk replacer rather than letting her kill them all.

Thanks for all the help. We were able to get her mouth taped and calmed down enough (with meds) to wear they are all eating. Now we pray for 25 days. Oh btw I have Duroc sow for sale. She'll be available in 26 days !!!! Ha

i have taped their mouths shut and tied their legs to the crate to keep them from getting up in the past. usually after a few hours of pigs sucking the maternal instinct starts kicking in. also that way i know the pigs get some colostrom.

buckibri is right, duct tape works well, as for the whiskey, drink it yourself!!!

We had a duroc sow who turned rank on us and almost had my husband's arm in her mouth--she charge after it when he tried to put duct tape around her mother. She went nuts. Took the babies out, took her out of the crate and took her for a ride