IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELFARE OF PIGS

A handbook for organic pig farmers

This handbook is an outcome of the inter­
national CoreOrganic II project «ProPig».
www.coreorganic2.org/propig

Project partners
A sustainable approach to pig husbandry 3

Organic pig producers face the major challenge to motivated persons working with the pigs. For
produce pig meat of high quality and at a moderate qualified support it is essential that consulted
price based on high animal health and welfare veterinarians or advisors are versed in organic
standards. To meet this challenge, farmers cannot animal husbandry.
rely on organic housing and production regulations
solely, as these do not inevitably result in a good As part of the CoreOrganic II project ProPig
animal health and welfare status of the pigs. researchers and advisors assessed animal health,
welfare and environmental impact on 74 organic
Rather, animal-friendly and efficient pig production pig farms across eight European countries and in
requires the consistent use of all preventive mea- different housing systems, including outdoor,
sures in husbandry, hygiene, feeding and manage­ indoor and partly outdoor systems. Based on these
ment to prevent development of major disea- assessments, improvement strategies were deve-
ses, injuries or any type of stress. loped together with pig farmers and compiled in
this handbook. The recommendations are intended
Successful pig production furthermore depends on to guide farmers and advisors in developing pig
the farmer’s carefulness and attentiveness to management, housing, and feeding towards optimal
detect diseases early and on well-trained and animal health and welfare.
A moment a day … 4

This handbook is designed to support farmers in Proper prevention of diseases requires daily
their daily work to keep healthy pigs and to recog­ inspection of all animals. This can only be done
nise potential symptoms early to avoid suffering by walking into the pen, getting all animals up to
of the animals. identify lame or sick animals.

Additionally, it is recommended to fix sufficient

time (e.g. 1 h each Monday) to check drinkers and
spend some effort for positive interaction with the
animals (e.g. friendly stroke). This should happen
from early life onwards. Special attention should be
given to breeding gilts to accustom them to the
presence of humans.

This handbook does not attempt to diagnose any

diseases. Therefore, pig farmers are asked to call
their vet for proper diagnosis and treatment of
diseases.
It can be as simple as … 5

Easy measures such as

a shower on a hot day can
improve animal welfare
considerably.
How to use this handbook 6

This handbook summarises the knowledge of This handbook is based on simple checklists
farmers, advisors, researchers and existing text describing problems and possible countermeasures.
books.
If there is any doubt, please ensure compatibility
The handbook provides useful information and with your country’s organic regulations.
possible measures to address the main challenges
of animal health and welfare in organic pig Take the handbook with you into the barn or
­production: to the field – it is designed for that!

•Fertility problems Symbols which are used:

•Diarrhoea
•Respiratory problems ✔ Indicates highly important measures
•Injuries
Indicates specific outdoor measures
•Other health and welfare problems
Indicates suggestions for long term solutions
Each chapter is divided into subchapters guiding
you to different areas, such as feeding, housing, Indicates first aid measures
management or treatment.
Indicates issues of special attention
 Fertility Problems 7

Housing
Feeding
Management
Treatment

Fertility
Fertility Problems – Introduction 8

Fertility is often evaluated by indicators of How to recognise fertility problems?

performance like number of weaned piglets per  Fertility problems can be revealed by low perfor­
sow per year, number of live born or weaned piglets mance and by various symptoms:
per litter. These performance indicators strongly • Delay or absence of heat
depend on feed, breed, lactation duration and • Repeat breeders
housing system. Therefore, comparisons should • Abortions
only be made within similar systems. In organic • Small litters
agriculture, other indicators may be more impor­ • Mummified, dead born or weak piglets
tant, such as for example: • Purulent vulva discharge
• Number of weaned piglets during the sow’s
lifetime Fertility problems are multifactorial and nearly
• Number of litters during the sow’s lifetime every factor in the sow’s environment can be
• Number of weaned piglets per number of live involved. Approximately 70 % of fertility problems
born piglets (survival rate) are due to non-infectious reasons (thermal stress,
• Sow replacement rate (recommended is 25 % social stress, transport, hygiene etc.), the rest is
per year) caused by infections such as parvovirus or PRRS.
It is important to know whether all sows, some
groups of sows or only single sows are affected.
Good keeping and reviewing of records of sows
and boars helps to identify possible problem areas.
 Fertility Problems – Introduction 9

1. The basis of individual

­identification of sows is an
easily visible ear tag.

2. Never cut a sow’s ear to

make it identifiable (it is
1. 2. forbidden).
Fertility Problems – Introduction 10

Records of all events regarding reproduction help • Dates of artificial insemination or natural service
to identify sows with fertility problems. Records can • Reference of the semen or identity of the boar
be written on «sow cards» where every event of that • Date and result of pregnancy diagnosis
individual sow is noted, or in software developed for • Date of abortion
this purpose. There are even some online applica­ • Other observations
tions. Some systems allow identification of the sow
by their ear tag recognised by a pocket computer Records to collect around farrowing:
or via the electronic sow feeder. This allows the • Identity of female
stockperson to enter and view data directly in the • Date of farrowing
barn beside the animal and, for example, adapt the • Farrowing assistance
feeding instantaneously. Use of software will • Number of mummified, dead born and live born
facilitate analysis and evaluation of your records piglets
and decision making based on records. • Date, number and reason of dead piglets
• Number of piglets cross fostered
Records to collect around insemination /mating • Number of weaned piglets
and during gestation: • Date of weaning
• Identity of female • Date, diagnosis and treatment of health problems
• Dates of heat • Other observations
 Fertility Problems – Sows 11

Check Measures

Do you take measures on hot ✔✔ If hot, install enough drinkers with high flow rate ➜ p. 38.
or very cold days? ✔✔ If hot, provide cooling measures like wallows, showers, air
ventilation and enough shade to gilts, sows and boars. ­Comfort
tempe­rature for sows in gestation with adequate bedding
­varies between about 10–20 °C.
✔✔ If cold, provide sufficient dry bedding material and prevent
draughts.
Why? Hot or very cold temperatures may lead to repeat breeding or
abortions (seasonal fertility disorder).

Is housing of gilts appropriate? ✔✔ If replacement gilts are bought in, they should be placed in a
comfortable quarantine area.
✔✔ Use time in quarantine (6 weeks) to do blood tests, to deworm
and vaccinate animals if necessary, and to progressively adapt
them to the local germs by e.g. exposing them to manure.
✔✔ Allow for regular human contact to facilitate subsequent handling.

Housing
Fertility Problems – Sows 12

Check Measures

Is the service area appropriate? ✔✔ Make sure the floor is not slippery.
✔✔ Provide sufficient light and space.
✔✔ Provide an appropriate lying area (sufficient space for all
­animals, soft, dry and clean bedding, no draught).

Is housing in the farrowing pen ✔✔ Move sows to the farrowing pen at least 5 days before
appropriate for the sow? presumed birth.
✔✔ Maintain the farrowing area clean and dry, especially around
birth. Provide a sufficient amount of straw (min. 2 kg) for nest
building behaviour.
✔✔ Avoid excessive ambient temperature (> 25 °C) at the sow level,
as this would inhibit her appetite and reduce milk production.
✔✔ Follow recommendations in the chapter «piglet mortality» to
reduce piglet mortality.
Fertility Problems – Sows and Boars 13

Outdoor
✔✔ Consider using a specially designed service tent to house the boars and give better control
of natural or artificial insemination.
✔✔ In hot weather, as well as providing wallows and shades, provide extra ventilation in huts
by opening panels in the back or roof.
✔✔ In cold weather, add extra straw in the huts and block any draught holes between hut and
ground.
✔✔ In wet weather, make a straw «doormat» at the hut entrance to keep the bedding drier.
✔✔ Insulation of the huts will improve the thermal environment and reduce risk of condensation
causing damp bedding.

Insulation of the huts

improves thermal
­environment on cold as
well as on hot days.
Fertility Problems – Sows 14

Cooling measures on warm

days are essential for a sow’s
well being and thus also for
her fertility.
Fertility Problems – Sows 15

Check Measures

Is feeding appropriate for gilts? ✔✔ Do not feed gilts like fatteners. Rather use the diet for pregnant
sows with a lot of high quality roughages.

Is feeding appropriate ✔✔ Provide ad libitum lactation feed in the days between weaning
for pregnant sows? and service.
✔✔ Adapt diet and amount of feed during pregnancy according
to body condition score. Optimum is a score of 3 at farrowing
➜ p. 20.
✔✔ Increase feed in cold weather if necessary to maintain condition.
✔✔ Provide sufficient high quality roughages (no mould, no myco-
toxins) to avoid hunger and aggression. Roughages also help to
prevent constipation at birth.
✔✔ Cut down feed 2 days before farrowing. Substitute with bran
and high quality straw.

Feeding
 Fertility Problems – Sows 16

Outdoor
✔✔ If feeding on the ground, make sure the feed is widely distributed in a dry area of the field.
✔✔ Consider feeding in a long trough to reduce wastage and attraction of birds which might bring
diseases.
✔✔ Consider using feeders with lids which can be opened by the pigs but not by birds.
✔✔ Individual lockable feeding stalls ensure that all sows get an adequate amount of food.

1. Feeders with lid protect

feed from birds.

2. Simple solutions allow

feeding of roughages in
1. 2. barn or on pasture.
Fertility Problems – Sows 17

Check Measures

Is feeding sufficient for ✔✔ Avoid excessive body condition loss during the suckling period
lactating sows? ➜ p. 20. Sows should be fed ad libitum with a palatable diet
during the main part of lactation.

Is nutrient content of the diet ✔✔ Regularly conduct feed analysis and recalculate your ration.
appropriate?
✔✔ Check for sufficient provision of protein, energy, lysine, phos-
phorus, and calcium, especially during lactation. Equilibrium
between nutrients is also important: optimal Ca:P ratio is 1.3 : 1.

Do sows have round lesions on ✔✔ Increase quantity (ad libitum) and quality (energy) of feed to
the shoulder in late lactation? avoid excessive thinness.
Fertility Problems – Sows 18

Check Measures

Is your feed and water free ✔✔ Ensure high quality of straw during harvest and storage.
of harmful substances? ✔✔ Analyse your straw and feed for mycotoxins and other harm-
ful substances. They are responsible for a lot of fertility
(and other) problems. Roughage should be without mould or
dust and it should smell good.
✔✔ Regularly check the flow rate of drinkers (➜ p. 38) and analyse
annually quality of drinking water (take samples as close as
possible to drinkers or from natural water sources being used).
Include analyses of E.coli, enterococci and coliform bacteria.
Bacteriological water analysis Chemical water analysis
< 100 total bacterial germs / ml pH at 20 °C: 6.5 to 8.5
< 50 coliform bacteria / ml Nitrate: < 50 mg / ml
Iron: < 0.3 mg / l

✔✔ Clean water storage tanks regularly.

Fertility Problems – Sows 19

Feeding / Energy curve for sows

kg/ MJ ME/
day day Roughages kg/day
Fresh green fodder 5-10
6.0 80 Grass silage 3-5
Fodder beet 5-8
ad libitum
Steamed fodder potatoes 3-5
Maize silage 2.5-3.5
4.5 60 Corn-Cob-Mix (CCM) 1-2
Brewers grains 4-5
Whey 15-20

<40 MJ
3.0 40
31 MJ
28 MJ 25 MJ

1.5 20 Roughages Roughages

Concentrate Concentrate Concentrate

0.5‒1.2 kg 1.5‒2.5 kg 0.5‒1.2 kg
Weeks ... 10 12 14 16 ...
Pregnancy Farrowing Weaning Insemination/
Service

Pregnant sow’s diet Lactating sow’s diet Pregnant sow’s diet

Meals/day 2 2 2 3 3‒4 2
Fertility Problems – Sows 20

2.5–3: targeted score at weaning

Too thin Too fat
3–3.5: targeted score at farrowing

1 2 3 4 5

Thin Score 1 or 2 Ribs, backbone and hip bones are obvious (or are easily detected with
pressure).
Moderate Score 3 Ribs, backbone and hip bones are barely visible (or are barely felt with firm
pressure).
Fat Score 4 or 5  Ribs, backbone and hip bones cannot be seen (or felt even when firm
pressure is applied) or fat deposits are clearly visible.
Fertility Problems – Sows and Boars 21

Check Measures

Is your insemination procedure ✔✔ Monitor oestrus status of your sows twice a day in the pres-
appropriate? ence of a boar (he will stimulate ovulation and heat expression).
Test, if sows stand rigid as a response to pressure on the back.
✔✔ Inseminate 12–24 hours after the first positive back pressure
test, then again 12–24 hours later.
✔✔ Store semen in good conditions (temperature between 16 and
18 °C), maintain good hygienic conditions during insemination.

Do you keep a boar? ✔✔ Do not use boars for natural service under 7 months of age
and older than 3 years.
✔✔ If only natural service is performed, keep one boar for
2–4 sows per batch.
✔✔ Monitor sperm quality, lameness and weight of boars.
✔✔ Perform natural service with the boar for repeat breeders.
✔✔ Do not keep the boar permanently beside the sows or gilts.

Management
Fertility Problems – Sows 22

Check Measures

Is management of ✔✔ Either regroup sows with unacquainted sows at weaning or

pregnant sows appropriate? wait until after day 28 of ­pregnancy.
✔✔ Keep stable groups throughout the production cycle and thus
minimise mixing of unacquainted sows.
✔✔ Check for pregnancy by heat detection or ultrasound between
days 21 and 30.

Do you observe purulent ✔✔ Treat urinary tract infections before insemination.

­vaginal discharge ✔✔ Improve hygiene at insemination. Clean vulva with a dry
after insemination or birth? ­disposable cloth, do not use water. Use disposable catheters.
✔✔ Improve hygiene when assisting at birth. Clean your hands,
arms and sow’s vulva. Use disposable gloves and lubricant.
Only intervene if necessary.
✔✔ Check with your veterinarian whether treatment is necessary.
Fertility Problems – Sows and Boars 23

Check Measures

Do you consider fertility when ✔✔ Choose lines without seasonal fertility disorders.
selecting gilts or boars? ✔✔ Choose lines with reasonable litter size: number of total born
piglets should on average not exceed 14.
✔✔ Choose sow lines with good maternal abilities (e.g. nest
­building, careful lying down, reaction to piglets), good leg and
general health and at least 12–14 teats.
✔✔ Choose boar lines with good viability of offspring (e.g. Duroc in-
stead of Pietrain line), good general health, and good leg health.
Fertility Problems – Sows and Boars 24

Outdoor
✔✔ Ensure that the ratio of sows to boars does not exceed 4 : 1 in a group and that all boars are
healthy, not lame and not too fat.
✔✔ Run a catch boar in the field with the sows after service to detect any returns to oestrus.

A catch boar in the sow

group will detect returns to
oestrus.
Fertility Problems – Sows 25

First aid measures

Call your vet, if you observe one of • Frequent mummies (> 1 % of total piglets) or
the following incidents: dead born piglets (> 10 % of total piglets).
• Vulva discharge (purulent or brown, • Frequent small litters (< 8 piglets).
smelly) despite good hygiene at • Fever (> 39.3 °C) one day after farrowing and
insemination and farrowing. lack of appetite in the days following farrowing in
• Frequent repeat breeders (> 10 %). numerous sows (➜ chapter on MMA).
• Frequent abortions (2 abortions • Symptoms of pain of the urogenital system:
within a couple of weeks). Contracted belly and curved back.

Aborted foetuses – all same

size, quite late pregnancy:
Can be due to stress or
infectious disease (e.g. PRRS).

Treatment
Fertility Problems – Sows and Boars 26

Long term approach

1. Identify possible causes related to 4. Check the vaccination program with your vet.
feeding, management and housing of Vaccination against parvovirus of sows /gilts
reproductive animals ➜ previous pages. before insemination is recommended (often
2. Reduce prevalence of lameness, MMA, combined with erysipelas).
parasite infestations and other health
problems. Further possible vaccines are against:
3. Check for signs of infections and consult • PRRS
your vet for a diagnosis. Commission • PCV2
analyses of blood samples or dead • Influenza
piglets.
Recommendations may differ among regions and
farms.

Long term improvement of

general health is an
important part of fertility
measures.
Diarrhoea 27

Housing
Feeding
Management
Treatment

Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea – Introduction 28

Diarrhoea is very common, especially in suckling Special attention at weaning

and weaning piglets. It may lead to high mortality Weaning occurs in a very sensitive period: Mater­
rates due to dehydration. Diarrhoea is a multi­ nally derived passive immunity has decreased
factorial disease and can be triggered by many since birth, but the piglet’s own active immunity
causes. Most often pathogens are involved. is not yet fully developed. Weaning is a shock for
Different types of viruses and bacteria can colonise piglets in terms of feeding (abrupt change from
different parts of the intestine and impair gut milk to solid feed rich in cereals), housing (new
health. Most pathogens are harmful only if the pen, new pathogen spectrum), and social environ­
immune system is not able to react properly. It ment (from mother to group of partially unknown
takes several weeks for a pig to acquire a mature piglets). Therefore, most diarrhoea episodes occur
immune system able to mount its own proper shortly after weaning (approximately within the
reaction. Sufficient colostrum intake (➜ chapter first 10–14 days).
on MMA) and good immune quality of the colos­
trum is essential to supply piglets with antibodies
against pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

All measures, which facilitate adapta-

tion during this transition period, will
help to reduce diarrhoea incidence!
 Diarrhoea – Piglets 29

Check Measures

Do piglets have a suitable ✔✔ Provide a warm and dry nest for piglets without draughts.
creep area? ­Optimal temperature at floor level is:
• 30–34 °C (1. week)
• 28–30 °C (until weaning)
✔✔ Close access to the outdoor run, for example with a curtain,
to prevent draught.
✔✔ Provide sufficient dry and clean bedding material. Observe
lying behaviour of piglets. They should not be lying in a heap.
Illustration ➜ p. 30.

Can piglets socialise with ✔✔ Allow piglets to have access to other farrowing pens after the
later pen mates? first week of life (as long as they are healthy).
✔✔ Allow group suckling if age difference is less than 1 week.
✔✔ Keep groups of piglets as stable as possible.
Why? If piglets know each other when weaned, they have less social
stress and are less prone to infections.

Housing
 Diarrhoea – Piglets and Weaners 30

1. Lying in a heap indicates

too low temperatures.

2. A warm nest helps to

prevent diseases and
is even more important
if piglets suffer from
diarrhoea!

Prone position Lateral position Heap position Edge of the nest

position

Okay Ideal Too cold Too warm

No need for intervention Intervention needed
1. 2.
Diarrhoea – Piglets and Weaners 31

Outdoor:
✔✔ Use a «fender» to keep piglets close to the farrowing hut initially, but once they start to jump
this, remove it so that piglets can socialise with other litters.
✔✔ Provide an adequate depth of clean, dry straw bedding.
✔✔ Block any holes between the hut walls and the ground with mud.
✔✔ Use a curtain at the doorway to reduce heat loss.
✔✔ At weaning, temporarily confine piglets in a hut with a fenced run area for the first week so
that they do not wander away seeking their mother and become lost.
✔✔ Have a special «hospital» hut for small piglets who may have difficulty adapting to weaning.

A «fender» keeps piglets in

the farrowing hut for the first
days of their life.
Diarrhoea – Weaners and Finishers 32

Check Measures

Is housing adequate around ✔✔ Keep piglets in the farrowing pen for some days after weaning.
weaning? This allows them to adapt to the situation.
✔✔ Provide a warm and dry nest for weaners without draughts.
Optimal temperature at floor level is:
• 27–29 °C (first week after weaning)
• 22–27 °C (afterwards)
✔✔ House pigs in litters or in small groups of less than 20 animals,
as they are easier to observe and sick animals are detected
more quickly.

Are sick animals separated ✔✔ Separate sick animals from the group.
from the group? ✔✔ Runts should not be reintegrated into the group. Thus enough
«hospital pens» should be available.
Why? Sick animals and runts often transmit diseases and separation
into a pen allows them to have sufficient access to food and water.
Diarrhoea – Piglets 33

Check Measures

Do piglets have continuous ✔✔ Ensure a flow rate of the drinkers of 0.8 l /min. Check regularly.
access to fresh water? ✔✔ Ensure accessability of drinkers (e.g. height adapted to age).
✔✔ Check functionality and cleanness of drinkers every day.

Are piglets sufficiently supplied ✔✔ Guarantee sufficient supply with iron. Pale skin colour is a sign
with iron? of iron deficiency.
Why? Iron is important for blood and immune cells.

Do piglets eat enough before ✔✔ Provide piglet feed next to the sow’s, so piglets can learn from
weaning (250 g per day)? their mothers’ behaviour.
✔✔ Start to feed early, when piglets are 7–10 days old.
✔✔ Repeated provision of small amounts of feed enhances attrac-
tiveness and taste.
Why? Sufficient feed intake prepares the animals to eat only solid
feed and prepares the digestive tract to digest nutrients from plants.

Feeding
 Diarrhoea – Piglets 34

Check Measures

Are piglets sufficiently ✔✔ Expose bought-in gilts for some weeks to farm specific bacteria.
­supplied with antibodies ✔✔ Ensure that sows are sufficiently supplied with energy.
from colostrum?
✔✔ Make sure each piglet gets colostrum straight after birth.

Outdoor
✔✔ Observe the skin colour of the piglets. Additional supply with iron is often necessary, even
if piglets have access to soil. Sandy soils have a low iron content.
✔✔ Ensure piglets have an accessible source of clean drinking water.

1. Once piglets start to range from the hut, provide a protected

creep feed area which the sows cannot get to and which cannot
be spoiled by rain.

1. 2. 2. Simple and cheap solution to protect feed from rain.

Diarrhoea – Weaners 35

Check Measures

Are weaners fed with an ✔✔ Blend old and new feed steadily for some days before weaning.
­adapted diet around weaning? ✔✔ Restrict amounts of protein and minerals during the first
10 days after weaning to 150 g /kg crude protein and 6 g /kg
calcium.
✔✔ Feed may be diluted with components rich in fibres (barley,
triticale, oat, wheat bran, hay, silage). Fibre content should
be increased around weaning to 5–6 %.
✔✔ If suckling piglets were mainly eating from the sowʼs trough,
provide them with the sow’s feed for the first days after
­weaning.
Diarrhoea – Weaners and Finishers 36

Check Measures

Are pigs provided with feed  ✔✔ Provide high quality silage containing lactic acid bacteria and
stuff suitable to decrease organic acids.
stomach pH? ✔✔ Provide probiotics like effective microorganisms or organic
yogurt to support digestion.
✔✔ Provide water diluted fruit vinegar.
✔✔ Provide soil or compost for rooting which contain humic acids.
✔✔ Avoid diets with excess buffering capacity (e.g. high calcium).

Do pigs have access to high ✔✔ Check daily for cleanliness of troughs, eliminate spoiled feed.
quality feed? ✔✔ Check that the nutrient content (minerals, energy, amino acids)
of the diet fulfills the nutrient requirements of the pigs that
vary with live weight.
Diarrhoea – Weaners and Finishers 37

Check Measures

Do weaners have restricted ✔✔ If there are diarrhoea problems on the farm, provide feed
­access to feed? to weaners at least in the first 10–14 days post weaning only
­restrictively in at least 3–5 meals per day.
✔✔ All weaners should have simultaneous access to restrictive feed.
A pipe cut in half can serve as a feed trough, if feeding technique
does not allow for all animals eating at the same time.
Why? Overeating can increase the amount of non-digested nutrients
in the stomach which are then used by pathogens, especially E. Coli.

Do pigs have continuous access ✔✔ Check flow rate regularly ➜ p. 38.

to fresh water? ✔✔ Install in weaning pens the same drinker type as in farrowing
pens, so that weaners already know the drinker type.
✔✔ Make sure drinkers are accessible in height.
✔✔ Check functionality and cleanliness of drinkers every day.
✔✔ Place additional troughs in the first week after weaning.
 Diarrhoea – All Ages 38

Water
Sufficient and continuous provision of clean water Check functionality and cleanliness of
is the best prevention strategy. This is even drinkers daily. Annually analyse water
more important when a group of pigs already has quality ➜ p. 18.
diarrhoea. Drinkers should be adapted to the age Would you drink this water?
category and installed on slats to avoid wet areas
Flow rate Daily demand
in the pen. If possible drinkers should be installed (litres/min) (litres/animal)
outdoors (attention: frost!) because pigs tend to Suckling piglets 0.4–0.5 0.7–1
urinate in wet places. Install at least 1 drinker per
Weaners 0.5–0.7 1–3
10 animals and at least 2 drinkers per pen.
Fatteners (< 50 kg) 0.6–1 3–6
Clean the water pipes regularly, e.g. with 0.2 % fruit
Fatteners (50–80 kg) 0.8–1.2 5–9
vinegar, formic or citric acid.
Fatteners (80–120 kg) 1.5–1.8 8–11
Pregnant sows 1.5–1.8 15–20
Lactating sows 2.5–3 20-35

1. Regularly check the exact flow rate of the drinkers.

2. Bowl drinkers comply with natural drinking behaviour,

1. 2. but are more prone to contamination.
Diarrhoea – All Ages 39

General hygiene guidelines

• Perform work routine «from smallest to • Perform batch farrowing and all-in-all-out man­
biggest», starting with lactating sows and agement.
suckling piglets followed by weaners, • Clean pens with high-pressure cleaners, allow for
fatteners and pregnant sows. sufficient drying and an empty period of at least
• Minimise the introduction of new animals 4 days.
and restrict access to people. • Disinfect pens if there are known pathogens in
• Keep newly bought animals in a quaran­ the barn. Disinfection can be performed with
tine area. steam or disinfectants compatible with organic
• If necessary install hygiene measures like standards.
shower, footbath and handwash before • Remove old or mouldy food under and in troughs.
entering the barn. • Control flies and rodents which are often vectors
for pathogen transmission.

Outdoor
✔✔ Rotate farrowing and weaner paddocks regularly to reduce pathogen and parasite infestation.
✔✔ Clean and move the huts within the paddocks between each batch of pigs.
✔✔ Avoid introduction of diseases from wildlife by using bird proof plastic curtains in front of the
hut, lidded hoppers for food and (electric) fences.

Management
Diarrhoea – Sows and Piglets 40

Check Measures

Is the chain of infection ✔✔ Clean pens after every batch with a high-pressure cleaner.
­sufficiently interrupted ­Allow for drying and a pig-free period of at least 4 days.
before farrowing? ✔✔ Shower the sows with warm water before moving them to the
farrowing pen. Clean carefully also ears, claws, legs and teats.
✔✔ Keep pens clean and dry, especially after birth.

Do pigs have a sufficiently ✔✔ Ensure sufficient intake of colostrum by all piglets. Do not
working immune system separate them before 12 hours.
when weaned? ✔✔ Prolong suckling period to at least 49 days.
Why? Piglets weaned at 49 days or later have less diarrhoea and
need less treatment than when weaned at 42 days.
Diarrhoea – All Ages 41

First aid measures

• Make sure there is unlimited fresh water Why? The vet can take samples to identify the
in every pen. bacteria and to perform an antibiogram (identifies
• Provide electrolyte solution in a trough. effective antibiotics).
• Add 1 % kaolinite clay to the diet. It will
serve as a «digestive bandage» and The whole course of treatment should be finished,
alleviate symptoms. even if animals show signs of improvement. Other­
• Pigs which suffer from diarrhoea should wise there is high risk of resistance development.
be fed restrictively several times a day in Treatment of individual animals is preferred to
small amounts. Additionally high quality group treatment in most cases.
hay or silage may be provided.
• Provide a warm lying area for the piglets.
• Don’t spread the germs to other pens.

Call your vet if: Electrolyte solutions

• Piglets show diarrhoea on two subsequent according to WHO: 1 l Water, 20 g Glucose,
days without responding to treatment. 3.5 g Salt, 2.5 g Sodium hydrogen carbonate
• You discover a new type of diarrhoea or a (food soda), 1.5 g Potassium chloride
new age group is affected. or: Water with 20 g / l dextrose and 4 g / l salt

Treatment
Diarrhoea – All Ages 42

Long term approach

1. Identify possible causes related to 4. If necessary vaccinate the sows during pregnan­
feeding, management and housing of cy. Vaccination programme should be discussed
suckling piglets, weaners and fatteners with the vet and adapted to the barn’s own
➜ previous pages. pathogen spectrum. Vaccinations of sows and
2. Integrate young sows or bought-in piglets are possible against
animals into the herd at least 6–8 weeks • E.coli
before farrowing. • Clostridium perfringens Type C and Type A
3. If parasitological analysis of faeces is • Salmonella
positive for endoparasites, deworm sows • Lawsonia intracellularis
2 weeks before farrowing.
Why? Sows produce antibodies against pathogens
with which they have been confronted and transfer
these to piglets in colostrum. Confrontation with the
herds own pathogen spectrum as well as vaccination
has this effect.

Diarrhoea faeces is altered

in colour and /or consistency
and /or smell.
Diarrhoea – All Ages 43

Taking samples
If you suspect infections, take samples and involve
your veterinarian.
Take fresh faeces samples with a swab from the
rectum of pigs which have just become sick. In
pigs which have already been sick for some days
you will also find secondary pathogens.
Other sampling methods are blood (by your veteri­
narian) or dead piglets.
Phytotherapeutic recipe against enteritis
Eradication
In some cases, if very severe or persistent patho­ • 20 g camomile flowers
gens are present or if national regulations require • 980 ml drinking water
to do so, an eradication /depopulation of the whole
herd may be appropriate. Clean and disinfect pens Add hot but not boiling water to the camomile.
and allow sufficient drying. Depending on patho­ Allow to cool down in a covered pot.
gens (e.g. Brachyspira hyodysenteriae) a disinfec­ Administer 3 times daily the amount of one
tion of all pipes and manure storage containers will tablespoon per animal orally (with blossoms).
be necessary. The tea can be poured on the feed or provided in
a trough.
Respiratory Problems 45

Housing
Management
Treatment

Respiratory
Respiratory Problems – Introduction 47

Respiratory problems are most common in finish­ Why are respiratory problems relevant?
ing pigs, but can affect all age groups. Pigs are not only irritated by ocular discharge but
sneezing, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coughing
Problems can start with mild symptoms such as are also painful conditions.
sneezing and discharge from the eyes, progressing
to coughing and conjunctivitis, lung damage, Respiratory problems are also relevant to the
reduced growth and even death. farmer for economic reasons:
• Reduced feed intake and growth rate result in
Respiratory problems are multifactorial diseases impaired feed conversion rate
and can be triggered by many causes. • Increased mortality
• Treatment costs
Most often pathogens are involved. Different types
of viruses and bacteria can colonise different parts Bad environmental conditions, as one origin of
of the respiratory tract. Most pathogens are respiratory problems in pigs, can also affect the
harmful only if the immune system is not able to farmer’s health and job satisfaction.
react properly.

Housing and management decisions may

strengthen or weaken pigs’ immune systems and
decrease or increase the pathogen load.
 Respiratory Problems – Introduction 48

How to recognise problems?

1.+2. Normal, healthy eye
and nose – bright, no
discharge, not sunken,
conjunctiva not visible.

3. «Tear staining»–
­increased production
of tears caused by
irritation of the eye
(e.g. draught, dust,
foreign body, infectious
1. 2.
agent) or stress.

4. «Red eyes» –
conjunctivitis (red,
swollen conjunctiva)
caused by prolonged
irritation of eye.

5. «Rhinitis
atrophicans» –
­infectious disease
causes distorted /
shortened snout
(skin folds on nose),
possibly bloody
3. 4. 5. discharge.
 Respiratory Problems – All Ages 49

Check Measures

Can you smell ammonia? ✔✔ If bedding or animals are dirty with faeces:
Do your eyes or nose burn • Improve urine drainage.
­during the daily routine work? • Increase frequency of dung removal.
• Improve possibilities for mechanisation of dung removal.
✔✔ Avoid pens with only deep litter in summer. Such systems
produce additional heat and do not allow cooling.
✔✔ Check and improve natural and /or mechanical ventilation.
✔✔ Increase access to outside run or outdoor area.

Is humidity appropriate or ✔✔ Measure humidity. Recommended relative air humidity ranges

can you see water drops from 60 to 80 %, ­depending on temperature.
along the windows and pipes? ✔✔ Improve ventilation.
✔✔ Increase access to outside run or outdoor area.
✔✔ Replace your old building with a new, naturally ventilated barn.

Housing
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 50

Check Measures

Do suckling and weaner piglets ✔✔ Measure the temperature at different points in the nest.
have a suitable nest? ­Optimal temperature at floor level is
• 30–34 °C (first week)
• 28–30 °C (until first week after weaning)
• 22–27 °C (afterwards)
✔✔ Sit down to check, if the floor is dry. If not: Improve drainage
and increase amount of bedding.
✔✔ Observe lying behaviour of piglets ➜ p. 30. All piglets should
be able to use the nest at the same time.

Do finishers and sows have ✔✔ Observe the animals to check if lying area is large enough for
an appropriate lying area? all animals to lie at the same time.
✔✔ The optimal lying area is closed on three sides and has a well-
drained, dry, draught-free floor.
✔✔ Cover the lying area of younger animals to keep it warm.
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 51

Check Measures

How many animals are within ✔✔ Maximum number of animals within one airspace should not
one airspace? Are different exceed 200–300 individuals (optimum 150).
age groups together? ✔✔ Recommended room volume per pig is at least 3–4 m³.
✔✔ Avoid keeping younger animals together with older ones in the
same airspace to interrupt the chain of infection.

Outdoor
✔✔ Ensure dry and draught free huts.
✔✔ Regularly provide straw to avoid dust accumulation in the hut.
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 52

An optimal lying area is

clean, dry, soft, provides
plenty of straw and is
not dusty.
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 53

Check Measures

Are there layers of dust? ✔✔ If feed is very dusty:

Are eyes and nose irritated • Consider to add oil or molasses to the ration.
when working in the pig barn? • Do not feed too finely ground particles (more than 50 %
of the particles smaller than 1 mm).
• Use pellets instead of meal or add water when feeding.
✔✔ If bedding is very dusty:
• Optimise management to achieve high quality of straw.
• Store straw in a covered place.
• Add regularly fresh straw to avoid very small particles.
✔✔ Ensure good natural and /or mechanical ventilation.
✔✔ Increase access to outdoor area.
✔✔ Install feeder outside of the lying area.
Why? Dust causes irritation of the respiratory tract and predisposes
mucous membranes for infections. It is also a vehicle of pathogens
and toxins.

Management
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 54

Check Measures

Do you protect your herd ✔✔ Prepare an isolation barn for bought-in gilts and boars in
against diseases from outside? a completely separate location.
✔✔ Use time in quarantine (6 weeks) to take samples, and to
deworm and vaccinate.
✔✔ Preferably buy gilts or weaners from one farm only.

Do you mix pigs of different ✔✔ Mix animals as little as possible.

sources and ages? ✔✔ All-in-all-out system is preferable to continuous flow.

Is stocking density ✔✔ Make sure that your pig house and individual pens are not
appropriate? ­overstocked.
✔✔ Avoid partly empty pig houses in winter, as it might get too cold.

Is a good hygienic status ✔✔ Power wash and keep the pen empty for some days between
­ensured? batches.
✔✔ Follow the «general hygiene guidelines» ➜ p. 39.
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 55

First aid measures Vaccination is effective only, if air

Call your vet if one or more pigs show quality is appropriate. Vaccination can
symptoms: not o
­ vercome management or housing
• Increased respiration rate problems.
Piglets > 50 / min
Fattening pigs > 30 / min
Adult sows > 20 / min AND Recommended order of treatments
• Panting/Pumping (consult your vet):
• Fever 1. Vaccination
• High mortality (>2 % within one age group) 2. N on-pharmacological treatments.
Phytotherapy: e.g. thyme leaves
Move pig(s) into hospital pen. Homoeopathy: remedy depending on the
­symptoms
3. A ntibiotics and anti-inflammatory treatment of
Phytotherapeutic recipe against bronchitis, a. Individual animals
catarrh and digestive disorders b. Group treatment
Administer 2.0–10.0 g thyme (dried leaves and
blossoms) per animal and day. Add daily to the Better: Eradicate the pathogen from your farm!
feed.

Treatment
Respiratory Problems – All Ages 56

Long term approach

1. Identify possible causes related to 3. If necessary vaccinate the sows. Vaccination
feeding, management and housing programme should be discussed with your vet and
➜ previous pages. adapted to the barn’s own pathogen spectrum.
2. Identify causal pathogens by observing Ensure correct storage and use of vaccines.
animals, reviewing abattoir data, taking 4. Eradicate diseases (e. g. PRRS/Mycoplasma) by
samples and involving your vet. Require partial or total depopulation, cleaning, disinfec­
bacteriological investigation and anti­ tion and empty period of the buildings followed
biogram. by repopulation with pathogen negative stock.

Respiratory Disease Pathogen Vaccination

EP (Porcine Ensootic Pneumonia) Mycoplasma hyopneumonia (bacteria) Suckling piglets
Influenza Swine Influenza Virus Sows
PRRS (Porcine reproductive and PRRS Virus Sows
respiratory syndrome)
Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease Porcine Circo Virus type 1 or 2 Sows or suckling piglets
APP (Porcine pleuropneumonia) Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia (bacteria) Uncommon.
Possible for suckling piglets.
Atrophic rhinitis Pasteurella multocida (bacteria) Sows
Injuries 57

Skin lesions
Tail lesions
Lameness
Vulva lesions
Swellings

Injuries
 Skin Lesions – Introduction 59

Skin lesions range from superficial scratches to Lesions are an indicator for constant fighting in
deep wounds. Such lesions originate from equip­ the group, as can happen in dynamic groups or if
ment or from social interactions. The impact for access to ressources is limited.
animal welfare certainly depends on the depth
of the wound. However, also small scratches may
act as a gateway for pathogens to cause infec­ First aid measures
tions and inflammations. • In severe cases treat open wounds with
disinfecting and wound healing sprays or
ointment.
• Make sure lesions were not caused by
infectious diseases (e.g. erysipelas).
• Remove any sharp edges of barn equip­
ment or flooring.
• Move severely injured pigs to hospital pen.

Skin lesions are most often

the result from fighting in the
group.

Skin lesions
Skin Lesions – Piglets 60

Check Measures

Are many injuries caused ✔✔ Check that litter size does not exceed number of functioning
during fights at suckling? teats. Carry out cross fostering if necessary.
✔✔ Make sure the sow does not suffer from MMA ➜ p. 81.

Piglets have sharp teeth with

which they can cause lesions
when fighting for a place at
the udder, especially in large
litters or if the quantity of
milk is not sufficient.
Skin Lesions – All Ages 61

Check Measures

Is there a lot of fighting ✔✔ Keep mixing to a minimum. Keep groups as stable as possible.
in general? ✔✔ Provide increased area and visual barriers – in general and
especially at the time of mixing.
✔✔ Widen passages such as from the indoor pen to the outdoor run.
✔✔ Supply more and/or improve access to resources such as feed,
water and resting area – especially at the time of mixing.
✔✔ If each animal does not have its own feeding space (at least
33 cm for a fattening pig), feed should be provided ad libitum.
✔✔ Rooting material, straw and roughages should be provided ad
libitum.

Is there equipment in the barn ✔✔ Routinely check that equipment is safely installed and without
which might injure pigs? sharp edges.
✔✔ Routinely check that floors are not slippery and slats intact.
✔✔ Provide sufficient bedding material.
Skin Lesions – Sows 62

Check Measures

Is there a lot of fighting ✔✔ Keep groups stable throughout the production cycle.
at regrouping? ✔✔ Provide sufficient space, visual barriers and non slippery floors
especially when regrouping unfamiliar sows.
✔✔ Regrouping should be done on pasture, in an arena or at least
in a spacious outdoor run.
✔✔ Provide self-locking feeding stalls as protection during feeding
but also as a means of escape during regrouping.

Outdoor
✔✔ Avoid keeping pigs on ground with sharp stones.
✔✔ Ensure that huts are well maintained to avoid sharp edges.
Tail Lesions – Introduction 63

Tail biting – and as a consequence tail lesions –

First aid measures
have serious animal welfare implications and
• Separate biters as well as injured animals
appear mostly in groups of weaners or finishers.
in single hospital pens.
Even though tail biting is more pronounced in
• Treat and disinfect wounds. Painkillers
indoor conventional housing systems, organic
and antibiotics may be necessary.
farming conditions or outdoor rearing does not
• Treat lesions of the remaining pigs with
exclude tail biting. The causal mechanisms of tail
bitter tasting spray.
biting are not fully understood and its occurrence
• Provide ad libitum roughages, concen­
is difficult to control.
trate feed and water to the remaining
pigs.
Tail biting is considered to be multi-factorial
• Provide plenty of manipulable materials
involving factors such as diet, feeding, water
such as straw, branches of bushes or
access, space allowance, environmental climate,
trees, or soil.
environmental enrichment, bedding, rooting/
• Provide salt lick.
foraging material, health problems, parasite infes­
• Keep records of tail biting.
tation and a genetic disposition for high lean meat
content. However, the main cause is a lack of or
insufficient or not continuously available
exploratory material.

Tail lesions
Tail Lesions – Weaners and Finishers 64

Check Measures

Do animals have permanent ✔✔ Supply continuously foraging substrate like straw, silage or hay.
­access to foraging materials? ✔✔ Regularly renew foraging substrate for increased novelty value.

Are feed and water ✔✔ Optimise supply of amino acids and minerals.
management appropriate? ✔✔ Analyse feed for mycotoxins and take measures accordingly.
✔✔ Make sure that at least 15–20 % of the feed particles are larger
than 1 mm and that less than 20 % are smaller than 0.2 mm.
✔✔ Check functionality and flow rate of drinkers ➜ p. 38.

Is the environmental climate ✔✔ Improve air quality (dust, ammonia, CO2) by removing manure,
adequate? reducing all sources of dust and increasing air renewal.
✔✔ Avoid sources of draughts, especially in the resting area.
✔✔ Avoid abrupt changes in ambient temperature resulting in cold
or heat stress.
 Lameness – Introduction 65

Lameness may occur due to several factors. Often

First aid measures
floor type, floor surface or slats are not adequate
• Observe and if necessary separate lame
for the specific age category and cause injuries.
animals.
Lameness may also be one symptom of infectious
• Identify the cause together with your vet
diseases (if combined with fever and staggering) or
and treat accordingly. Painkillers may be
infections of joints (e.g. Streptococcus). Sows can
necessary.
suffer from too long claws or from injuries caused
• Remove any broken or sharp equipment
after regrouping. Susceptibility for leg problems is
which may injure animals.
partly heritable.

Lame sows have a higher risk to crush their piglets.

1. Those claws make walking

very difficult and should
be trimmed.
2. Too wide gaps in slatted
floors hold the risk of claw
injuries.
3. Too abrasive floors or
standing in dung can harm
1. 2. 3. claws.

Lameness
Lameness – Weaners and Finishers 66

Check Measures

Is flooring appropriate? ✔✔ Use enough bedding material and select solid flooring
wherever possible.
✔✔ Check appropriate gap width, if you have concrete slatted floors.
✔✔ Remove sharp edges on gaps, steps and doors.
✔✔ Check that floors have good grip and are not too abrasive in
the farrowing pen.
✔✔ Clean pens regularly to avoid that pigs are standing in dung
(hygiene!) and to avoid slippery floor.

Are many fatteners with more ✔✔ Use slow growing genotypes to avoid the «weak leg syndrome».
than 50 kg lame? ✔✔ Reduce feed amount to slow down growth, especially for gilts.

Is tail biting a problem? ✔✔ Implement measures against tail biting ➜ p. 63.

Why? Tail lesions can lead to infections in the spine causing
lameness.
Lameness – Sows 67

Check Measures

Is supply with minerals and ✔✔ Supply especially young sows with sufficient Ca, P, biotin,
vitamins ensured? Manganese, Copper, Zinc and Vitamin D. Optimal Ca : P ratio is
1.3 : 1.

Is the length of sows’ claws ✔✔ Regularly check the length and the shape of the claws. Trim
appropriate? also the dew claw, if necessary.
✔✔ Ensure sufficient (but not too much) abrasion by choosing
slightly abrasive floors in the pregnant sow activity area.

Are there any lame sows after ✔✔ Carry out regrouping after weaning and/or mating on pasture
regrouping? (or at least on an outdoor run with good grip).
✔✔ Better: Keep stable groups throughout the production cycle.

Is lameness a constant ✔✔ Record the identity and the genetic background of the affected
­problem? animals.
✔✔ Select for lines with good leg health.
Lameness – All Ages 68

Outdoor
✔✔ Avoid keeping pigs on ground with sharp stones.
✔✔ Avoid keeping pigs on poorly drained soils where they often stand in mud.
✔✔ Flatten ridged field areas around hut entrances and feeding areas in winter to minimise
risk from injury associated with frozen, uneven ground.

Very frequent standing

in dung or mud favours
infections of the claws.
 Vulva Lesions – Introduction 69

Vulva lesions occur in situations where sows have

to fight for restricted resources. Mostly they
happen at feeding, if the feeding place is not pro­
tected from behind.

The most efficient way to reduce vulva lesions is to

install self-locking feeding stalls, what is possible
in- and outdoors.

Vulva lesions are painful and may lead to infections

and subsequent difficulties at farrowing.

1.+2. Different scarring

­consequences of bitten
vulvas.

3. Self-lockable feeding
stalls are the best way
to prevent bitten
1. 2. 3. vulvas.

Vulva lesions
Vulva Lesions – Sows 70

Check Measures

Are there sufficient and ✔✔ If you feed all sows together:

appropriate feeding places? • Provide at least one feeding place per sow.
• Provide (self-)lockable feeding stalls.

Is your electronic sow ✔✔ Use an electronic sow feeder which protects the sow within
feeder lockable? and allows forward exit. Make sure the closing and opening
speed of the sow feeder is properly programmed.

Are the sows occupied? ✔✔ Provide sufficient roughage to ensure satiety of the restrictively
fed sows.
✔✔ Provide foraging and rooting material (straw, earth etc.).
 Swellings – Introduction 71

Severe swellings on the legs (up to the size of a In a first stage of swellings the skin becomes
small apple) mostly appear between the hock and thicker. In a second stage a bursa (sack filled
the dew claws (metatarsus). with fluid) develops. In severe cases the bursa
becomes infected or is eroded (bursitis).
Swellings develop as a reaction to constant lying
on hard floor («cushion»). They are thus an indica­
tor for a too hard lying area. Pigs on slatted or solid
floors without, or with insufficient, bedding
material are much more often affected than pigs
which are offered a dry and soft lying area.
In severe cases swellings can be painful for pigs.

1. Healthy leg.

2.+3. Swellings (bursae)

often occur on the
hindleg and can
1. 2. 3. be painful.

Swellings
Swellings – All Ages 72

Check Measures

Do pigs lie outside ✔✔ Provide cooling measures like showers, wallows and good air
of the lying area? ventilation on warm days.
✔✔ Provide sufficient dry bedding material.
✔✔ Enlarge size of the lying area, if not all pigs can rest at the
same time, or decrease the number of pigs.
Why? If the climate is too hot, the pigs seek for cooling on the
c­ oncrete floor. This may though reduce their welfare, as the concrete
floor provides a hard surface.

Can you exclude infectious ✔✔ In case of frequent joint swellings and possibly other symptoms
causes? like lameness, fever, apathy and reduced appetite, check with
your vet, if these symptoms are caused by infections. Possible
infectious diseases are: Glassers’ disease (Haemophilus para-
suis, HPS), Mycoplasma polyarthritis, infection with Streptococ-
cus suis, or diamond skin disease (Erysipelothrix rusiopathiae).
Other Health and Welfare Problems 73

Piglet mortality
MMA
Parasites

Other Problems
 Piglet Mortality – Introduction 75

High piglet mortality is a serious economic and Piglet mortality is a multifactorial problem. The
welfare problem, especially during the first 3 days main reason for increased piglet mortality, how­
post-partum with a peak within the first 24 hours ever, is high litter size. In large litters, piglets are
independent of the housing system. small, have low body energy reserves at birth, are
competing more for colostrum and milk and hence
are at risk for low growth rate or mortality.

Inappropriate management, feeding strategy,

environment or maternal behaviour can significantly
increase piglet mortality.

The risk of crushing

increases, if the creep area
is not attractive enough
and the piglets do not use it
for resting.

Piglet mortality
Piglet Mortality – Sows and Piglets 76

Check Measures

Is management of sows ✔✔ Move sows to the farrowing unit at least 5 days before farrow-
appropriate? ing to reduce stress at birth.

Do sows have permanent ✔✔ Provide sufficient quantity of manipulable materials, especially

­access to nest-building straw, allowing the sow to build a nest for at least 3 days before
­materials? the expected farrowing date.
Why? Sows that can perform nest-building activity are calmer, have
shorter duration of farrowing and are less at risk to lay on their piglets.

Is the farrowing pen ✔✔ Provide a readily accessible creep area protected from draught
appropriate for piglets? where all piglets can lie on deep, dry and clean bedding.
Optimum temperature in the creep area at floor level is:
• 30–34 °C (first week)
• 28–30 °C (until weaning)
✔✔ If necessary, install inclined walls with a gap at floor level or
rails or bars to avoid crushing by the sow.
Piglet Mortality – Sows and Piglets 77

Check Measures

Is the farrowing pen ✔✔ Maintain the farrowing area clean and dry, provide a sufficient
appropriate for sows? amount of straw.
✔✔ Check temperature and other potential stress factors during
farrowing. Temperature should not exceed 24 °C.

Is breeding and breeding ✔✔ Select for sows with smaller (less than 14 piglets) but more
programme of sows homogenous litters.
appropriate? ✔✔ Cull old sows, if piglet mortality is high (above 20 %).
✔✔ Choose lines with good maternal abilities (e.g. nest building,
careful lying down, reaction to piglets).

Are your sows in a good ✔✔ Make sure your sows are not lame, not too fat and don’t have
health state ? ectoparasites like mange.
Why? When piglets get crushed, they start to scream. If the sow can
react immediately, most piglets will survive. Ectoparasites lead to
restlessness and reduced milk production.
Piglet Mortality – Sows and Piglets 78

Check Measures

Do you monitor farrowing ✔✔ If a piglet does not drink right after birth, give some drops of
and help newborn piglets to colostrum directly into its mouth, and administer glucose
get colostrum after birth? solution.
✔✔ The strongest piglets can be shut away into the creep area for
2–3 hours after they have had colostrum in order to allow
sufficient uptake by weaker piglets.
✔✔ Make sure all piglets find the creep area quickly to prevent
hypothermia. If necessary, put them repeatedly into the creep
area.
✔✔ Make sure your presence and your intervention on the piglets
do not disturb the sow.
Why? Monitoring of farrowing usually has a positive effect on
the survival rate of piglets, but it may be detrimental and lead to
prolonged farrowing, if it perturbs the sow.
Piglet Mortality – Sows and Piglets 79

Check Measures

Are there enough productive ✔✔ Check the number of productive teats. The number of functio-
teats? Can piglets reach the nal teats should be larger than the number of piglets.
teats in the upper row? ✔✔ If necessary, equalise litter sizes by cross-fostering between
12 and 36 hours after farrowing (optimum 24 hours) to let
piglets drink colostrum from their dam and to avoid rejection
by the adoptive sow.
✔✔ If fostering is impossible or not sufficient, add milk replacer in
bowls in the farrowing pen.

An optimal farrowing pen or

hut meets the needs of both
the sow and the piglets.
Piglet Mortality – Sows and Piglets 80

Outdoor
✔✔ Provide an insulated hut of appropriate size for the sow to warm the airspace, especially
when piglets are small.
✔✔ Ensure that the farrowing hut is dry and draught proof and that the interior is protected from
strong winds (by downwind orientation of the entrance).
✔✔ Provide an adequate depth of clean, dry straw bedding.
✔✔ Ensure that bedding is spread evenly over the floor of the hut and relatively flattened when
farrowing nears.
✔✔ Avoid excessive disturbance of the sow during farrowing.
✔✔ Use individual farrowing paddocks to prevent disturbance from other sows.
✔✔ Use good fencing to keep predators away.
✔✔ Block any holes between the hut walls and the ground with mud.
✔✔ Use a curtain at the doorway to reduce heat loss.
✔✔ Use a «fender» to keep the piglets at the beginning in the hut. Remove it, when the piglets
start to jump at around 7 days of age, so that they can socialise.
MMA – Introduction 81

Mastitis - Metritis - Aglactia (MMA) is a complex

First aid measures
of mastitis (inflammation of the udder), metritis
Call your vet if:
(inflammation of the uterus) and agalactia (in-
• Sows show temperature above 39.3 °C
sufficient or absent milk production). But the three
at 12 to 24 hours after farrowing.
disorders may also occur separately. The MMA
• Together with symptoms like loss of
complex is economically important, since it can
appetite, lying on the udder, hot and red
cause high losses of piglets.
udder, purulent vaginal discharge and
apathy after farrowing.
MMA is caused by infections (mostly E.coli, but
also Streptococci and Staphylococci), but problems
A treatment with antibiotics, analgesics and
in housing, management and feeding are predis­
anti-inflammatory might be necessary.
posing factors. Individual records are important to
detect sows that are more prone to MMA.

MMA
MMA – Sows 82

Check Measures

Do you detect symptoms of ✔✔ Observe birth, but intervene only if necessary.

MMA early? ✔✔ Check rectal temperature twice daily for 3 days after farrowing
and check for other symptoms of acute MMA.

Is a good hygienic status ✔✔ Follow the «general hygiene guidelines» as described ➜ p. 39.
­ensured?
✔✔ Clean sows thoroughly before bringing them to the farrowing
pen.
✔✔ If you assist during farrowing, clean the sow’s vulva and use
disposable gloves and lubricant, or clean and disinfect hands
and arms thoroughly.
✔✔ Clean the pen. Especially remove remains of the afterbirth after
­farrowing.
MMA – Sows 83

Check Measures

Are feed and water supply ✔✔ Reduce the concentrate feed rate towards farrowing to
adapted to farrowing sows? 1–1.5 kg per day.
✔✔ Reduction of calcium 5–8 days before until 2 days after
­farrowing can help to acidify urine and reduce the risk for
­infections of the urinary tract.
✔✔ Provide enough roughage and water during pregnancy.
✔✔ Provision of Glauber’s salt (60 g per 100 kg body weight)
or flaxseed (50 g per 100 kg body weight) twice a day around
farrowing has a laxative effect. Also other natural laxative
feed additives may be used, if they are compatible with organic
standards.
✔✔ After farrowing offer water also in the trough.
✔✔ Ensure a flow rate of drinkers of 2.5–3 l per min in the farrowing
pen.
Why? Measures to avoid constipation reduce the likelihood of MMA.
MMA – Sows 84

Ad libitum roughages like

silage or fresh grass are
essential during gestation
and especially before birth
to prevent constipation.
Parasites – Introduction 85

Infestations with parasites may seriously affect or the mammary glands and colostrum.
the welfare of the animals and cause severe eco­ Control of endoparasites aims at a low level of
nomic losses, although it is not obvious: lesions in infestation, as a complete removal of the parasites
the respiratory or digestive tract, poorer feed is often not possible.
conversion since parasites divert nutrients, anae­ Ectoparasites such as Mange (mites) and lice are
mia, discomfort, pain, impairment of the immune transferred directly from animal to animal.
system or skin lesions in case of ectoparasites.
First aid measures
Pigs can get infected with endoparasites by • If pigs show signs of infestation with
ingestion of parasite eggs (e.g. large roundworm) gastrointestinal parasites like diarrhoea,
or larvae, or ingestion of an intermediate host (e.g. constipation, respiratory problems or
earth worms), passage of larvae through the skin runts, take fresh faeces samples (ideally
directly from the rectum or still warm
from the floor) and send them to a
specialised laboratory. Results will help
you and your vet to decide, if and with
which deworming agent you should treat.

Ectoparasites like
mange cause discomfort
and restlessness.

Parasites
Parasites – All Ages 86

Long term approach

• Milk spots on the liver of a high propor­
tion of the slaughtered pigs indicates in­
festation with large roundworms (Ascaris
suum). In this case, consider treatment Mange eradication
of the herd. Large roundworms can also • Choose a date when only few animals are on
be present in the herd, if findings at the the farm.
slaughterhouse are inconspicuous. • Treat all animals twice with e.g. «Ivermectin» in
• If pigs show signs of ectoparasites like an interval of two weeks.
grey, crusty areas around ears, legs and • Be very careful when buying new animals.
tail and a lot of scratching, discuss with Put new animals in quarantine and treat them
your vet a systematic programme to if necessary.
eradicate mange or lice. Mange eradica­ • Mange mites survive only a few days without
tion is relatively easy, if it is done system­ animals (3–4 days if humid, less if dry). There­
atically. fore, washing or disinfection of the pen is not
necessary to remove the parasite.
• Mites causing mange in dogs and cats are not
a danger for pigs, as these mites belong to
another species.
Parasites – All Ages 87

Check Measures

Do you manage your herd ✔✔ Try to keep your herd as closed as possible, breed your own
as a closed herd? replacement sows.
✔✔ Newly bought animals should be selectively dewormed, based
on faecal analyses, inspected for lice and mange and treated
accordingly before integrating them into the herd to prevent
the introduction of new parasites.

Do you clean pens regularly? ✔✔ Pens, especially farrowing pens, should be thoroughly cleaned
with high-pressure cleaners between batches and left empty
for at least one day.
✔✔ Daily cleaning should be done, removing at least faeces. Far-
rowing pens should be kept dry. Deep litter systems should
also be cleaned. Cleaning routine should begin with youngest
groups and end with the oldest.
Why? Faeces may transmit parasites. Moisture facilitates the sur-
vival of eggs and the development of some larvae.
Parasites – All Ages 88

Check Measures

Do you wash sows before ✔✔ Careful washing of the sows with soap before bringing them
transfer to the farrowing pen to the farrowing pen or hut removes adulte ectoparasites
or hut? and eggs of lice.

Do you compost pig manure ✔✔ Manure from pigs should be composted before spreading it
before utilisation? on the field to interrupt infectious cycles.

Outdoor
✔✔ Regular rotation of paddocks reduces surviving of eggs and larvae over time. If possible,
include pigs in a crop rotation, so that pigs move to fresh ground at least once per year and
the time-lag before re-occupation is around 5 years.
✔✔ Rest from pigs moist areas like wallows for some time as they are often a reservoir of parasite
eggs and larvae.
✔✔ Rotate feeding spots regularly. This will reduce the parasite load in one place. Avoid feeding
on contaminated ground and consider trough feeding.
Index 89

Sources
Page 19: F eeding / Energy curve. Adapted according to: Fütterungsfibel ökologische Schweinehaltung;
URL: http://www.lfl.bayern.de/mam/cms07/publikationen/daten/informationen/p_34976.pdf
Page 20: Body condition score of the sow. Adapted according to Assurewel; URL: http://www.assurewel.org/pigs/bodycondition
Page 30: Laying behavior of piglets. Adapted according to: De Baey-Ernsten, 1997.
Page 38: DLG Merkblatt 351; URL: http://www.dlg.org/fileadmin/downloads/merkblaetter/dlg-merkblatt_351.pdf

Pictures
Mirjam Holinger: pages 4, 5, 9 [2], 13, 24, 26, 30, 42, 59, 60, 65, 69 [1,2], 71 [2,3]
Christine Leeb: pages 14, 16, 25, 34 [1], 38 [2], 48, 71 [1], 79, 84
Barbara Früh: pages 75, 69 [3], 85 [2]
Helena Mejer: pages 31, 85 [1]
Henri Flageul: page 9 [1]
Jürgen Herrle: page 52
Denise Knop: page 68
Florence Maupertuis: page 34 [2]
Gwendolyn Rudolph: page 38 [1]
Imprint 90

This handbook is an outcome of the inter­national CoreOrganic II project «ProPig». For further information see: www.coreorganic2.org/propig.
Project partners:
BIO-I, Bioinstitut (Institute for Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Landscape Management), Krizkovskeho 8, 771 47 Olomouc, CZ, www.bioinstitut.cz;
Jiri Urban ([email protected])
BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences), Division of Livestock Sciences, Gregor-Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, AT, www.boku.ac.at;
Christine Leeb ([email protected])
CRA–SUI (Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentasione in agricoltura), Via Nazionale, 82, 00184 Roma, IT, www.entecra.it;
Davide Bochicchio ([email protected])
DJF-AU (Aarhus University, Department of Animal Science), Blichers Allé 20, PO box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, anis.au.dk;
Tine Rousing ([email protected])
FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture), Ackerstrasse 113, 5070 Frick, CH, www.fibl.org; Barbara Früh ([email protected])
FLI (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut), Institute of Animal Health and Animal Husbandry, Dörnbergstrasse 25/27, 29223 Celle, DE, www.fli.bund.de;
Sabine Dippel ([email protected])
IAS (Institute of Animal Science), Přátelství 815, 10400 Prague, CZ, www.vuzv.cz; Gudrun Illmann ([email protected])
INRA (Institut National de Recherche Agronomique), Domaine de la Prise, 35590 Saint-Gilles, F, www.inra.fr; Armelle Prunier ([email protected])
NU (Newcastle University, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development), Agriculture Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK, www.ncl.ac.uk;
Gillian Butler ([email protected])
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this project provided by the CORE Organic II Funding Bodies, being partners of the FP7
ERA-Net project, CORE Organic II (Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming systems, project no. 249667).
The following national funding bodies contributed to the success of the ProPIG project:
The Danish AgriFish Agency, Denmark
Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) within the BÖLN framework, Germany
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW), Austria
Ministry of Agriculture, National Agency for Agricultural Research (MZe), Czech Republic
French Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAAP) and National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), France
Ministero delle Politiche Agricole, Alimentari e Forestali (MIPAAF), Italy
Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), Switzerland
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, United Kingdom
 91

All the information contained in this manual has been compiled by the authors to the best of their knowledge. The authors, the editors and the publishers
cannot assume responsibility for the validity of the materials. Neither the authors, nor the publishers, nor anyone else associated with this publication,
shall be liable for any loss, damage or liability directly or indirectly caused or alleged to be caused by the manual.

The text in this handbook is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the national funding bodies having
financed this project.

Authors and Review: Mirjam Holinger (FiBL), Hannah Ayrle (FiBL), Davide Bochicchio (CRA–SUI), Gillian Butler (NU), Sabine Dippel (FLI), Sandra
Edwards (NU), Diane Holmes (NU), Gudrun Illmann (IAS), Christine Leeb (BOKU), Florence Maupertuis (Chambre d’agriculture de Loire Atlantique,
France), Michala Melišová (IAS), Armelle Prunier (INRA), Tine Rousing (DJF-AU), Gwendolyn Rudolph (BOKU) and Barbara Früh (FiBL)

Editors: Mirjam Holinger, Barbara Früh and Gilles Weidmann (FiBL), Switzerland

Design: Helen James, jamesdesign.ch, and Sybil Weishaupt, weishaupt-design.ch, Westquai 2, CH-4019 Basel, Switzerland

Layout: Brigitta Maurer (FiBL), Switzerland

Design ProPig logo: Carina Trestl (© Carina Trestl; www.trestl.at)

Printed by: Ströher Druckerei und Verlag GmbH & Co.KG, D-29227 Celle, www.stroeher-druck.de

© 2015, 1st edition, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland; Institute for Organic Agriculture and Sustainable Landscape
Management (Bioinstitut), Olomouc, Czech Republic; University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria; Consiglio per la Ricerca
e la sperimentasione in agricoltura (CRA–SUI), Roma, Italia; Aarhus University (DJF-AU), Tjele, Denmark; Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Celle, Germany;
Institute of Animal Science (IAS), Prague, Czech Republic; Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Saint-Gilles, France; Newcastle University
(NU), School of Agriculture, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
 92

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