Piglets need to spend a specific amount of time with their mother before they can be taken away. Similar to all of the babies, these piglets have needs that only a sow can provide for.
How long do piglets stay with their mothers? These piglets stay with their mothers from 6 up to 8 weeks. After that, they’re slowly weaned away from their mothers. Piglets must not be taken away from mothers before this time because the mortality rate is high. These piglets should also be given time to adjust to the new setup before they’re forced to eat and drink new and solid food.
These piglets, just like all the other babies in the world, need to be near their mother in the first few weeks of their life because they need protection and nutrition. However, there’s so much more to weaning than just its exact date. Here are a few things you should know.
Why piglets need to stay that long
As stated earlier, these piglets should not be weaned earlier because these can lead to health problems. Weaning them at a much earlier time without a mother’s milk increases the risk because they still a weak immune system and their digestive system has yet to develop to adapt to food other than their mother’s milk.
Their mother’s milk will help the piglet develop and grow healthy. Prior to weaning, however, there should be steps to take help the piglet transition from its mother’s care to independency which will be discussed in the next part.
It’s also general knowledge that the mother’s milk is superior to all the other foods and liquids that can be fed to a newborn. The nutritional value of the milk introduces a better immunity to disease that might hit the piglet as early as 2 weeks. This milk doesn’t have a direct alternative, that’s why it’s essential that the piglets stay with their mothers until their fully developed.
If you pull a piglet early and feed it with feeds, say at 3 weeks, the piglet will go through immense nutritional stress because it still hasn’t developed to adapt to the change in food from its mother’s milk. Force feeding them will lead to loss of appetite because they don’t want to eat and might cause their death.
Other than the milk, the piglet also feels comfortable around its mother. The piglet generally feels safe around maternal protection, which isn’t guaranteed by just placing it together with its original litter. Just like how milk is irreplaceable, a mother’s protection is also very hard to duplicate.
That’s why the pigs need to stay for at least 6 to 8 weeks in their mother’s comfort because they need the nutrients from the milk to fully develop their immune and digestive system and they need to adjust to the new foods that they will consume until they get older.
Weaning Process
Before you pull a piglet away from its mother, you should have already introduced how to eat solid food from a bowl or elsewhere. You can do this slowly, while the piglet is also feeding on the mother’s milk. You can try first with soft foods or small pellets that can be chewed on easily.
These foods can be soft vegetables, fruits, or even pellets. This should be done between week 5 and week 6 to help them adjust to their new feeding process.
During the weaning process, you will notice the changes in the piglets. They will be stressed due to the loss of their mother’s protection, change in diet, and change in the environment.
This is a very stressful time for the piglet may lead to the difficulty of not absorbing nutrients for 3 to 5 days after the weaning process began. You will frequently hear the piglet calling its mother with loud shrieks and grunt which is pretty normal for piglets.
The ideal amount for 10 piglets or a litter is about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. This is to ensure that pigs are eating enough and are more easily adjusted to the new kind of food. Make sure that the feeds chosen are very similar in smell and taste with the mother’s milk so that feeding the piglets won’t be so hard.
The next step needed to be taken is to ensure that the next kind of food after the weaning food is very similar to the previous one. Similar food can encourage the piglet to eat because it’s what they’re used to. Growing pigs need to be fed properly because they are still growing, so having the right feed is essential for their growth.
Lastly, the feeds provided everyday should be fresh and refilled accordingly. This post-weaning stage will help them adapt to the independent life and will make it easy for them to transition into the adult feeds.
By following these tips, there’s a high chance that the piglet will transition smoothly to adult feeds. These will also lessen the stress that the average weaning piglet goes through.
Caring for the weaning piglet
With all the adjustments, taking care of the weaning piglet may be a very challenging task. You have to take note of several factors such as a warm environment, sufficient water supply, and immunizations. They’re still very delicate animals that require much attention, especially that they’re pulled away from their mothers.
These pigs are still dependent on something to drink, hence, they need to constantly be given water. You can do this by placing water in bowls or dispensers in specific areas of the house that these pigs drink from.
It’s essential to note that these sources of water must be clean and properly positioned so that the weaning piglet can easily drink water and won’t have a hard time adjusting.
There must also be proper ventilation in the area where they sleep or stay most of the time. This is so that they stay cool and dry while they still can’t properly fend for themselves.
As for feeding, these pigs have specific needs that must be attended to. If you have a couple of pigs, it’s also a great option to feed them with others and not separate them because they need social interaction.
Avoid putting partitions between other pigs, unless these pigs get violent, so that they can interact freely and not become depressed. These moments are sensitive times that these pigs need a companion.
The living space of pigs must be appropriate to the number of pigs placed together and their sizes. Every 21 days, weaning pigs increase their size and weight, therefore a big pen space is necessary.
Do not place too many pigs in one pen. It’s necessary to place one litter per pen, as much as possible to ensure that they have enough space to roam around. Small pen spaces lead to piglets biting each other out of aggression and irritation. See some recommended pens on our resources page
If it’s possible, it’s best to keep piglets from the same litter together as they wean. This helps them become more accustomed and comfortable with their environment.
Challenges during the weaning stage
The most common challenge for weaning piglets is their high probability of getting dehydrated. Once they’re separated from the sow, there’s a big chance that they won’t consume water as much as they want to consume milk.
According to Pig Progress, only 51% of the piglets consume water during the first day of being away from their mothers. At such a young age, pigs need about 70% water so they become healthy pigs. What’s worse is that piglets that won’t drink water, also won’t eat as much. This combination leads to death of piglets because these are the two essential things they must do.
To prevent dehydration, these piglets must be given gels and electrolytes. If possible, the water they drink should have electrolytes to help keep them hydrated and healthy.
Another challenge is that piglets won’t consume feeds that don’t taste or smell like the milk of their mothers. This poses a very difficult challenge because some owners might prefer giving them certain feeds. It’s essential that owners know what feeds are similar in taste and smell so they won’t have a hard time transitioning the piglet.
Since piglets need to be placed in pens that are proportional to the number of piglets in one and their sizes, piglets must be able to interact with them properly.
Feeding time must be scheduled and be done with all the other piglets around. Failure to give them sufficient interaction, as mentioned earlier, will lead to piglets biting each other due to the induced stress of the lack of interaction. This is one challenge that owners must pay attention to.
Related questions:
How long can a pig’s pregnancy last?
A pig’s pregnancy will last for 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days.
How many piglets will a sow produce at a time?
A healthy sow can produce at least 10 piglets at a time.
How many times can a pig get pregnant every year?
A sow can get pregnant twice a year, given that she’s healthy and well taken care of.
