Guidelines in Taking Care of Pigs

1. Boar
 Have clean and fresh water always available
 Avoid the use of by-products or co-products where mycotoxins may be concentrated.
Boar feed should be produced out of tested raw material
 •Check for mycotoxin contamination regularly;
 Adding anti-oxidants may be beneficial;
2. Dry Sow
 Keep the lactation period not longer than six weeks. Sows kept on lactation period
longer than six weeks tend to have a longer dry period.
 Do not feed the sow on the day of weaning. Withholding feeds is a form of stress to the
sow which can bring early occurrence of heat. Withholding water in areas with high
environmental temperature is not advisable. It is possible to reduce or limit water intake
of the newly weaned sows.
 Expose weaned sows to the boar. Exposure of the sow to the boar influences the
occurrence of heat. It is advisable that pens or feeding-lying boxes/stall of dry sows be
made closer to the boar pen. A teaser boar is suggested to be penned for the detection
of heat and influence the early occurrence of heat.
 Hormone injection can be used as last resort to induce heat occurrence if sows does not
come into heat 10-12 days after weaning
 Old sows of parity eight and above tend to have longer dry periods.
 Keep sows as cool as possible during summer. Heat stress has a negative effect on the
onset of estrus.
 Check dry sows for heat occurrence twice a day. Failure to detect heat lengthens the
over-all farm average of weaning-to-service period. Checking can be easily done at
feeding time. Back pressure test can be done to the sow and/or use a teaser boars.
 Observe the right timing of breeding. Most production problems in sows like low
conception rate and poor litter size can be attributed to incorrect timing of
insemination.
 Breed only good sows, and cull bad sows immediately.
 After weaning, it is advisable to let the newly-weaned sows roam around in a paddock.
The pen must measure 2.0 m2 per head. The excitement of contact with the other sows
in group housing has a positive influence on heat occurrence.
 Arrange housing and feeding facilities to ensure maximum exercise.
 Intermittent spray cooling during hot weather makes the living condition more
comfortable for sows.
 Clean and disinfect the sow pen.

Feeding Schedule: 7 AM & 4 PM

Feeds: Lactating Feeds (1.5 kg per Dry Sow)