Gestation Care and Pre-Farrowing Management

The Condition Score: Managing the Sow’s Weight

In pig farming, a “Fat Sow” is a “Problem Sow.” If a sow gets too heavy during pregnancy, fat builds up in her birth canal, making it difficult for piglets to come out. This leads to stillbirths (dead piglets) and exhausted mothers. On the other hand, a thin sow won’t have enough energy to produce milk.

The Eye Test:

• Too Thin: You can clearly see her ribs and backbone. (Increase feed!)

• Perfect (Target): You can’t see the ribs, but you can feel them if you press firmly. Her body is smooth and rounded.

• Too Fat: She has huge rolls of fat behind her shoulders and around her tail. (Decrease feed!)

The Feeding Schedule: The U-Shape Strategy

A pregnant sow’s nutritional needs change as the piglets grow inside her.

1. Early Pregnancy (Day 1–90): Feed her a maintenance ration (usually 2–2.5kg per day of Sow & Weaner meal). The piglets are tiny at this stage; you are just keeping the mother healthy.

2. Late Pregnancy (Day 90–110): This is the “Growth Surge.” 70% of piglet growth happens in the last 3 or 4 weeks. Increase her feed by 0.5kg to 1kg to ensure the piglets are born with a good birth weight (at least 1.2kg to 1.5kg).

3. The Final Week (Day 110–Birth): Reduce feed slightly and introduce more “fiber” (like wheat bran or green vines) to prevent constipation. A constipated sow will have a very difficult and painful labor.

Health & Hygiene: The Pre-Birth Cleanse

You don’t want your piglets’ first experience of the world to be a mouth full of worms or bacteria.

• Deworming: 2 weeks before her due date, give the sow a high-quality dewormer. This prevents her from passing worms to the piglets through her milk or feces.

• The Maternity Wash: 5-7 days before she is due, wash the sow with warm water and mild soap, paying special attention to her teats (nipples). This removes “invisible” eggs of parasites and bacteria.

• Moving to the VIP Room: Move her to the clean, disinfected Farrowing Pen at least 5 days before her due date. This gives her time to settle down and get used to her new surroundings. If you move her while she is in labor, the stress could kill the piglets.

The Gestation House Environment

While she is pregnant, the sow needs peace.

• Avoid Mixing: Do not introduce new pigs into her pen. Fighting for dominance can cause her to “slip” (miscarry) her pregnancy.

• Cooling: Pregnant sows feel the heat intensely. Ensure she has plenty of shade and cool water.

• Floor Safety: Ensure the floor isn’t slippery. A pregnant sow falling down can easily lose her litter.

Case Study: The Fat Sow Failure in Kiambu

Farmer Njuguna wanted his sow to have “huge” piglets, so he fed her 4kg of feed every day throughout her pregnancy. By the time she was ready to give birth, she was so fat she could hardly stand. When labor started, she became exhausted after the third piglet. The remaining 8 piglets got stuck in the birth canal and died of suffocation because the mother was too tired to push. Njuguna lost 80% of his potential profit because of “kindness” that was actually “poison.”

The Lesson: Follow the feed requirements strictly. A “fit” sow is better than a “fat” sow.

Preparation Checklist (One week before due date)

Important things to keep in mind:

• Keep the Calendar: If you don’t know the due date, you can’t prepare the “VIP Room.” Use the 114-day rule faithfully.

• Watch for Nesting: When the sow starts carrying straw in her mouth or digging at the floor, she will likely give birth within 24 hours.

• Quiet, Please: Stress is the enemy of a successful birth. Keep noisy children and barking dogs away from the farrowing area.