Runts

bwyer09 · Post by **bwyer09** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:51 pm

When one of your guys' pigs have a runt, what do you guys do with it? Call me a joke of a pig farmer, but I'm not going to go out back with a hammer and put the little guy out of his misery. So what do you guys do?

YorkDuroc · Post by **YorkDuroc** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:04 pm

If you want to take the time to, you could try and bottle feed it. It may be more work than what its worth, but if you want to I would recommend Soweena Litter Life. You can purchase it at stores such as PBS Animal Health. This is what I prefer to use and the pigs really go after it. You will want to make sure the pig still gets a good deal of its mother's milk, as I have heard of some litters going straight for the Litter Life and essentially being "weaned" off of the sow. Good luck.

Jimmy · Post by **Jimmy** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:24 pm

I have seen the "runt" turn out to be 1 of the best showpigs in the litter. We don't knock runts in the head, we raise the entire litter. We are small but that is what we do. Now if I was just in the commercial feeder pig business I would operate differently.

bwyer09 · Post by **bwyer09** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:24 am

We're thinking about shipping it to one of my aunt's for a few weeks, just until it's time to wean. They're not farmers, but they'd be able to bottle feed it and make sure she gets more than she needs to eat. Then we'd be able to bring her back when we wean her littermates, and see what happens from there. Do you guys think this would be a good option?

bren · Post by **bren** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:04 pm

Unless the litter is huge, I would keep it on the sow and give it some milk replacer on the side. I use one of those dog waterers that holds a gallon or so of liquid that feeds into a bowl, strapped to a wall. I keep it full. My sow had a big litter with two smaller ones that were getting bucked off their teats, so I added some replacer for them. They are about to be weaned and although smaller, very good pigs.

They will learn to drink out of the bowl , if you dip their noses in the milk and make a sucking noise. No need to bottle feed.

I have raised an entire litter on milk replacer after they were on the sow for two days and received the colostrum. They went on to show and did well. If you have to, you can raise that little one by itself. I have used Birthright pig replacer for the ones without a mother. I am having good luck with Sav-A-Kid milk replacer for the current litter on the sow.

Ummm · Post by **Ummm** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:11 pm

can you give them cattle milk replacer instead???

bren · Post by **bren** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:56 pm

I can't comment on calf replacer, maybe somebody else has input. I have just used pig replacer, goat replacer and actual goat's milk from a friend that breeds dairy goats. There are multi-species replacers that cover calves, pigs, goats, puppies, kittens, foals etc. I have never used any of those.

JHMontana · Post by **JHMontana** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:04 am

If you can't get litter milk then I would use kid or lamb in that order. Cows milk has larger fat globules and is not as easy to digest as kid or lamb. I know calf milk is cheaper and if I remember correctly it is also lower in protein and fat. Pigs just don't do well on it. That is my expeirence with it.

Jett · Post by **Jett** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:59 pm

Dont pinch pennies on milk replacer, you get what pay for. Birthright is the best I have ever used. Expensive? Yes, Worth it? If the pig is.

Ummm · Post by **Ummm** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:23 pm

OK thanks a lot, just wondering since I have a few bags of calf milk replacer.

MarkFrankpigs · Post by **MarkFrankpigs** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:19 pm

dont let it lay, usely when the runts get kicked off enough they lose energy when they become weak they just lay and nomonia sets in. I wouldnt be scared to give a runt a lil extra pen. Also only take a runt away from the litter if it does in fact become to weak to be around the other ones. PBS sells hand held pig milkers to. So just hook tht bad boy up when she drops milf and go ahead and collect, also On every litter I collect the colostrum just in case. Also once you wean them and it is time to sell you might want to think about selling the runt first. The ods are some 4-H kid will take it home where there is not as many pigs at the feader. good luck