Sows

Description

As a pig farmer your goal is to get the maximum number of healthy piglets, while balancing your own wishes with animal welfare and developments in society. But how? First of all by observing your sows well, and by acting before any problems arise. This will increase the size of your litters and reduce the number of piglets you lose.

Sows starts with you, the breeder. Organise your farm so that it suits both your needs and those of the animals: efficient for you and comfortable for your sows. Sows next discusses the entire trajectory from farrowing to gestation, paying special attention to the culling of older sows and the selection of gilts. The aim is to have sows in peak condition for easy farrowing and maximum milk production. And to quickly get them back into heat, inseminate them successfully and have another easy gestation. Become aware of ‘pig signals’. A refusal to eat, for example, should be noticed immediately. What has caused it? Is the sow too warm, not drinking enough or being overfed? And do you see the difference between stillborn piglets and those that have been crushed after farrowing? Understanding the cause is half the solution.

Sows is full of practical tips and information to achieve optimal production results, with clearly written text and informative photographs and illustrations. After reading this book you will coach your sows to a series of worldclass performances!

Author: Marrit van Engen, Kees Scheepens