Ideas on farrowing irregularity?

ter · Post by **ter** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:59 pm

Wondering how things are going for you. Have they started to farrow yet? If not, I would gets some antibacterial lube, and ob glove, and see if you can feel anything. If they are this far along they could be to big for them to push out and you'll need to at least help the first one along.

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:48 pm

Give us an update if you would, including breeding dates. What do the sows actually look like? Can you post a pic? This is all starting to sound like a disease issue, false pregnancy, etc.. or a major screw up in breeding dates. Maybe all is well? Let us know.

BTW, you should have induced in the perineum. If you want some real research data on this leave me a fax number and I'll send you a paper, or better yet, when I return to US I'll dig it up and post the number of the AASV paper that addresses this and you can read it. 1cc lut. in the perineum followed by 1cc lut. 6 hours later (also in the perineum). Works like a charm. Actually the research used only 1/2 cc each time and was just as effective.

ter · Post by **ter** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:29 pm

Darin, I think they gave the second shot in the perineum. Talked with em, before the second shot and told them about the research in giving the injection there at 1cc. But, when you get back into the states if you could shoot me the paper you got. Not sure if its the same one I have or not. Like to see it either way. Thanks

RobsShowHogs · Post by **RobsShowHogs** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:01 pm

Ok so here is the best update that I have. Last night the bigger gilt had some white/greyish discharge and was really swollen but no babies. Today there is no discharge and no milk. Neither gilt is bagged up.

The dates they were bred on were as follows:
Little gilt: October 16
Big gilt: October 17 and 18
Sow: October 15 and 17
They were ultrasounded over my Christmas break so about Jan 5 or so.

I did give the second shot in the perineum. We talked with a breeder over in Denver and he suggested 1 1/2 cc so that's what I did. At about 1 am tonight it would be 36 hours from the second shot...and 75 from the first. It is not 8pm so they are at about 73 hours. I would like the paper. I'll get pictures later tonight. I'm in Fort Collins and my pigs are back in western slope colorado so I'll have to wait for them to take them. I am allowing the FFA kids to see the whole process, although this is the last time. The driving back and forth is killin me.

tlp · Post by **tlp** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:13 am

Can you see babies moving? The discharge color doesn't sound correct. I'm wondering if they're still alive? Please keep us updated. Good luck.

RobsShowHogs · Post by **RobsShowHogs** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:09 am

Here are the pictures:
The sow
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/8052/shanea1hn8.jpg
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9282/shanea2vf6.jpg

The little gilt
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6463/foxxy2bd9.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5914/foxxy3io5.jpg

The big gilt
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8238/biggilt1zi7.jpg
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/8983/biggilt2bb1.jpg

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:17 am

I can't tell anything from the third set of pics, but the first two look as though they are no longer pregnant. Still showing some udder development on the second set, but not enough to convince me she is going to farrow at all. Looks more like a sow who lost her litter some time ago. I would guess you are dealing with a PRRS/Parvo/Circovirus issue of some sort, or simply that they suffered some other sort of stress and lost their litters, but for none of them to have farrowed, it sounds more disease-related to me.

If you want to try again with these animals, I would have your herd tested for PRRS and re-address your vaccination program regarding PRRS, Circo and Parvo.

RobsShowHogs · Post by **RobsShowHogs** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 12:50 pm

So where do I go from here? I plan on having them tested. I had no issues before but there were two other pigs that moved into the barn and I do not know their history. They are not mine. They are little feeder pigs.

One "stresser" that they could have had was water. Many times when I would come home I would find them without water. And when I gave them water it was evident they had no been given any for some time. They would sit and drink it for what seemed like ten minutes. Could that have played a part in it?

My original plan was to allow the FFA chapter to learn about pigs. At this point, I'm going to pull them because things were obviously not taken care of. I know they were not given any PRRS/Parvo/Circovirus vaccination while in gestation. Because I was not there to do everything, it did not get done. I did not know what to do with all the vaccinations.

Darin, if you could give me a "plan of action" from here on out, I would appreciate it. I am completely devastated that I have no little ones. I was so looking forward to it.

Non-Sequitor · Post by **Non-Sequitor** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 1:23 pm

Robyn,

Unless you have a really special pedigree going with the gilts and sow you are dealing with you are probably further ahead to cut your loses with this group and start fresh. If this is your target born on date you could look for some young gilts to replace these three. If you start from scratch you can assure yourself of the proper gilt development and preparation.

If you can isolate your females from other pigs and restrict visitors to your barn you may be able to reduce the number of diseases for which you need to vaccinate. The item you relate that I find most likely to have caused your current difficulties is the introduction of pigs from some unknown outside source during the gestation period, along with less than optimum access to water and feed which can lead to increased susceptibility to reproductive diseases.

Sorry for your troubles, good luck.

HeavenlyHog · Post by **HeavenlyHog** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:02 pm

was it a preg tone if so that is about time of heat.preg tone will pick up heat.

RobsShowHogs · Post by **RobsShowHogs** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:59 pm

No, it was an actual screen ultrasound.

Darin · Post by **Darin** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:10 pm

I agree with Non-S.

If it were me, I would start fresh with a cleaned, disinfected farm, DOCUMENTED healthy stock, and a bio-security program to restrict introduction of animals and people. There is nothing more frustrating than health/fertility issues.

Start over and implement some changes to your system. Don't underestimate the importance of herd health. Most do.

BIOS · Post by **BIOS** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:09 pm

We had a Hamp gilt that we gave a shot of lut to on 114 days and she mis carried on the 118 day with three dead pigs, big ones at that, any ideas? Never went into labor, almost thought she had a false pregnancy

Ideas on farrowing irregularity?

Question for Darin