The Rural Voice, 1983-06, Page 50Foster so pigs fight
in their own weight class
Dr. Michael Wilson
Cross -fostering can make a major
contribution to increased survival of
Dr. Michael Wilson is a University o/
Guelph vet who is a recognized authority
on immunity to infectious diseases in
swine.
This article is reprinted with permission
from "International Pigletter" [swine
management ideas from around the
world] published by Pig World, Inc., Box
662. South St. Paul. Minnesota 55075.
small pigs with low viability. But most
people do it wrong. They even up the
number of pigs in litters, when they
should be evening up the weight of pigs
within litters. The first hours of a pig's
life is a fight for survival. If he's fighting
out of his weight class his chances drop.
So sort the pigs to even up their fighting
weights.
Dr. Mike Muirhead, a general veterinary
practitioner in Yorkshire, England,
looked after a 1,500 sow herd over an
18 -month period with a mortality rate of
5.6%. The Ontario average mortality rate
is 19%, a difference of just over 13%.
If we assume 10 pigs born alive per
litter and at least two litters/year, then
1,680 of the 30,000 pigs born in that 1,500
sow herd died. At the Ontario average
rate, 5,640 would have died. At a value of
$30 at weaning, the difference is
$118,800. A 5% mortality rate is not
attainable on most farms without rela-
tively large replacements of farrowing
crates, but a 10% mortality rate is
attainable with most facilities.
For a piglet to survive it needs help, at
least some of them do. We know that as
many as 80% of piglets under 2 Ib. birth-
weight die, whereas well over 80% of
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t
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NON -LEAK
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ATWOOD METAL FABRICATING INC.
ATWOOD METAL
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(operating from the former location
of A.H. Bowman Manufacturing Ltd.)
would like the opportunity
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fabricating needs.
FREE ESTIMATES
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OTHER PRODUCTS
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Give Don or Ivan Smith a call
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Be sure to visit our Booth #85-B
at the 10th Ontario Pork Congress
HIGHWAY 23 N.
ATWOOD, ONT.
519-356-2802
THE RURAL VOICE, JUNE 1983 PG. 49