Why We Raise Pigs
Farrowing pigs are just one of the many animals that give birth here at Hidden Heights Farms. Each animal we raise on our farm has a purpose. We raise turkey, quail, and chickens for meat and eggs, breed goats to sell or trade other farmers for livestock, practice beekeeping for pollination and honey, and raise livestock guardian dogs to protect the farm.
Additionally, we enjoy raising heritage breeds of pigs like Gloucestershire Old Spots and Berkshire for their top-quality meat. Nothing beats an old-fashioned traditional Ozark pig roast!
We keep our sows in a large ¼ acre pasture where they can freely root and dig and they have access to the DIY pig shelter we built. Giving pigs plenty of space reduces both the parasites and the notorious pig smell.
Raising pigs offers a quick and relatively easy turnaround to provide food for the family, and learning how to butcher a pig yourself makes the project more cost-effective.
What Is Farrowing
Farrowing is the term used for female pigs (sows) giving birth to piglets. Farrowing pigs can be challenging on the farm, but it’s so rewarding!
How Long Does a Pig Take to Farrow?
Generally, pigs farrow between 110 to 117 days. Many factors contribute to this estimated range, including the litter’s size and the sow’s experience. Large litters may gestate longer.
Calculate the approximate due date from exposure to the male until birth. Since complications can occur, keeping the sow in a smaller enclosure separated from the rest of the herd is a good idea as the estimated birthing date gets closer.
If you plan to pasture raise your sows like we do, consider placing a smaller pen with a hut or shelter of some sort within the pasture.
Our goal is to provide a happy life for our animals, so we don’t use small farrowing pens. We want our sows to move around freely within their enclosure. But learn from our mistakes and at least provide them with a space that the piglets can’t escape.
We prefer to use hog panels and create a large enclosure. Hog panels are great because they have smaller spaced, stiff-wired squares at the bottom of the panels which keeps the piglets from escaping the pen after birth. Piglets will escape if you use field wire fencing or anything with spaces larger than about 2 inches between rungs!
How Many Times Can a Pig Farrow
Healthy sows can safely farrow two times a year. The average number of piglets in a litter is 7 or 8, however, a large litter can consist of 12-14 piglets.
Does a Pig Need Help Farrowing?
We try to allow our sows to farrow as naturally as possible without our intervention. But it’s always a good idea to be present when a sow farrows, if possible. If you’re there to observe, you can jump in and help if problems occur. Older sows with experience usually avoid complications.
Most issues arise with gilts – young first-time farrowing pigs. Some common complications include the sow rolling on piglets, piglets getting too cold, trouble eating resulting in starvation, and gastrointestinal issues.
Be ready for these common complications with a heat lamp or heating pad, clean old towels to dry off cold piglets, a pig nipple and bottle, and substitute colostrum. You can use frozen pig colostrum, frozen bovine colostrum, or powered colostrum.
Give the mom aid by giving her space and a clean, dry farrowing pen (farrowing crate) or enclosure with her own shelter within the pasture (the method we use) with plenty of straw or pine shavings for the mama to nest and create a place to birth her piglets.
Should abnormal complications such as prolonged labor, piglets stuck in the birth canal, excessive straining, or trouble breathing occur, call your vet for help.
Stages of the Farrowing Process
The farrowing process consists of five stages – gestation, nesting, preparatory, birthing, and afterbirth.
Gestation
Give your sow access to high-quality food and fresh ground to forage. As her pregnancy progresses, a sow needs more protein and healthy sources of vitamins and minerals, and she always needs access to clean, fresh water.
You can deworm your sow up to a week prior to farrowing; just check the product label for instructions. Research how you would like to handle deworming. You can use natural dewormers like pumpkin seeds, apple cider vinegar, or food-safe diatomaceous earth.
In the last stages of gestation, you can visibly see the sow begin bagging up, meaning the mammary glands look swollen and full. You will see the pig self-isolating and acting restless or uncomfortable in the days before farrowing.
Nest Building
Before farrowing, gilts or sows will begin pawing the ground and rooting. They will engage in nest-building behaviors like gathering dried leaves, straw, or debris. Nesting is an excellent sign that it is time to put the mama pig in her farrowing pen or enclosure.
Be sure to give her materials she can use to nest and create a safe place to have her piglets.
Preparation for Farrowing
As the time to farrow nears, you will notice restlessness, contractions, muscle spasms or tremors in the tail area, quickened breathing, and fluid discharge. If you see the sow lactating, this is usually a sign that the piglets will arrive in the next 12 to 24 hours.
You may also see the mom-to-be lie down in her nest. The preparatory phase can happen quickly, so pay close attention to your gilts or sows.
Birthing Phase
As you become more experienced, you will learn to recognize when a sow is ready to farrow. You will begin to see the contractions. You may see more fluid discharging and dilation of the cervix.
It can take up to about 45 minutes of contractions for the first piglet to arrive. The piglet presents with the front or back hooves exiting the birth canal first. The average time between the birth of each piglet takes about 15 minutes.
If a piglet is born encased in the birthing sac, remove the sack from the piglet and make sure it can breathe.
After farrowing is complete, the mom will birth the afterbirth and placenta. The babies will still have the umbilical cord connected at birth, but it will naturally break when the newborn piglets begin moving around.
Pro-Tip: Mama pigs don’t clean off their babies as goats giving birth do. Plan to clean the piglets off with a clean, dry towel, especially if it is chilly outside.
Afterbirth Phase
After the piglets are born, the best thing you can do is make sure they can nurse from their mom as soon as possible. The colostrum the sow first produces is full of essential nutrients and necessary antibodies piglets need for survival.
As you observe, if you notice a piglet that cannot nurse or is rejected by the mom, you may need to bottle feed the piglet; it’s helpful to have these supplies on hand.
Keeping both sow and piglet in a safe space, separated from the other sows or herd, encourages bonding and nursing.
Provide a heat lamp or heating pad in the shelter for the piglets to keep warm in cool temperatures, and add more clean, dry bedding like straw or pine shavings as well.
Some sows become very protective of their piglets. Be careful not to distress the mom or babies. A nervous mom can sometimes trample or roll over on her babies.
The sow may have a smaller appetite the first few days after farrowing, and she will want to rest. Withhold food for the first 12 hours after farrowing and then give her small amounts to increase her food back to regular rations. She will need ample nutrients for nursing her baby pigs.
Observe the babies and watch for the piglets’ growth and health. Contact your vet for advice if you notice a baby pig with diarrhea.
Some pig owners vaccinate and deworm their piglets about three weeks after farrowing. Do your research and decide based on your farming philosophies, the area where you live, and your personal veterinarian’s recommendations on how you want to handle vaccinations and deworming.
The joy and utter cuteness of raising piglets make all the work and effort worth it – not to mention the delicious meat in our freezer!
