MANAGEMENT OF SOWS TO PREVENT PIGLET LOSSES

The loss of newborn piglets in the perinatal period is often caused by poor nutrition in pregnancy. The consequences are: low birth weight, a prolonged labour, delayed onset of lactation, the crushing of piglets by the sow and hypoglycaemia in newborn piglets. From day 85 to 115 of pregnancy the daily ration should contain: 30 MJ metabolisable energy; 300 g digestible crude protein; 20-30,000 IU vitamin A, 15g lysine and 20g calcium. The duration of labour can be optimised by increasing the amount of crude fibre in the ration to 10% a few days before parturition, the subcutaneous administration of 30ml calcium gluconate and the induction of birth from day 112 of pregnancy by the administration of PGF2alpha or in combination with oxytocin. The most important factors to reduce piglet losses are an appropriate diet for the sows, the conditioning of sows, the use of methods to accelerate labour and the prevention of hypoglycaemia in newborn piglets.