If you’ve recently purchased a baby pig, you probably have a lot of questions. These questions range from feeding spoiled milk, not cutting the umbilical cord, and keeping a close eye on the piglet. Read on to learn how to care for your piglet and keep it healthy. We’ll discuss these and other questions you might have in this article. Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind.
Taking care of a baby piglet
The first step in taking care of a piglet is to assess its litter. Make sure the umbilical cord is not dangling on the floor. It will dry up in a few days. If it is, try to feed it with a syringe. If it is not nursing, it may not survive. If the piglet appears weak, feed it using a syringe.
If the piglet begins to scour excessively, it is likely it has a bacterial infection. If it is an endemic disease, it will likely result in low-level neonatal mortality. For example, colibacillosis causes up to a fifth of the piglets’ deaths. In more serious cases, such as those caused by Rotovirus or E.Coli, the scouring may be serious enough to require an antibiotic treatment.
Keeping a close eye on a piglet
Keeping a close eye on a young piglet is an important part of caring for your new pet. A variety of symptoms can be signs that your pig is suffering from a bladder infection. For example, it could be urinating inside, on the floor, or while it’s asleep. While some piglets may not show any signs of illness, other pigs with bladder infections may fight off the infection on their own. When left untreated, this infection may progress to the kidneys and bladder.
Pigs form strong bonds with other species. They can understand names at a young age and respond to voice calls better than dogs do. Piglets also communicate through a series of grunts, which vary according to their personality. Keeping a close eye on a piglet is an important part of caring for your pig, as your pig will be able to communicate important information about its welfare.
Feeding a piglet spoiled milk
One of the easiest ways to fix spoiled milk is to feed your piglet cereal instead of milk. A baby rice cereal can be used as a substitute for milk, and you can just mix a little goat milk into it each feeding. When feeding your piglet, remember that they only eat two ounces at a time and need to be fed frequently. The piglet should be fed every three to four hours. However, you may need to feed your piglet a bit more often than that.
The first rule of piglet nutrition is consistency. A piglet that is not nursed will not develop the antibodies necessary to ward off disease. If it is not breastfed, it won’t develop manners. Siblings will also fight over which teat produces the most milk. A « top hog » will push over other piglets within hours of being born. This is a dangerous scenario because it can cause diarrhea and result in death.
Avoiding cutting off the umbilical cord
During pregnancy, the umbilical cord helps the fetus to receive nutrients from the dam. Once born, the cord continues to transmit bacteria and viruses. Piglets can also bleed excessively from the cord. Cutting the cord at the birth is therefore not recommended. But if it is necessary, it is advisable to tie it off properly. This will prevent excessive bleeding.
First, keep in mind that a piglet’s blood volume is approximately 30% of its own body weight. If this blood volume is cut off, the piglet will not be able to consume colostrum. Second, do not interfere with the piglet during the first six hours, especially while dressing the navel wound. This way, the piglet can bond with its mother. In addition, during the first few days, a piglet can be lifted gently. This means using the thighs, chest, or shoulder. Never dangle the back leg.
Avoiding cutting the piglet’s teeth
When you are ready to clip a piglet’s teeth, make sure to separate the sow and piglets. Keep the piglets in a warm, dry, and well-lit area. To cut a piglet’s teeth, you should first hold the piglet’s head so that the mouth is open. Use clippers on either side of the piglet’s teeth.
It is important to keep a piglet’s teeth intact for the sake of their welfare. Although this traditional method of farming has been practiced for ages, there is no conclusive benefit to this practice. Sustainable agrarians do not practice this practice, and animal welfare agencies have banned it. Cutting the piglet’s teeth can cause the teeth to shatter beneath the gum line, exposing the animal to infection.
Avoiding cutting the piglet’s tail
It is best to dock a piglet’s tail as soon as possible after birth, preferably no later than two days. To dock a piglet’s tail, first pull the skin toward the rump and cut it at the base of the tail. When cutting the tail, pull the skin downward so that the bone is exposed. Cut the tail using sterile, disinfected side-cutters and return it to the piglet’s pen.