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Pasture Farrowing 101

8/14/2014

4 Comments

 
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Here at Stryker Farm we raise pigs "farrow-to-finish" which means that we raise breeding stock as well as butcher hogs. This type of operation is  not very common because it requires a lot of time and careful management but it gives us the advantage of having complete control over the quality and quantity of heritage breed pork we produce.  

The most difficult part of farrow-to-finish is the farrow, which is when the pigs are born. For the first 3-5 days a piglet is very vulnerable to dying from crushing, cold, infection and predators. A dead piglet is a big financial loss for a farmer so most "modern" farms take the risk out by using indoor farrowing crates. These crates are designed so sows can only stand up and lie down and therefore are less likely to step or roll on the newborn piglets. Although these crates are successful at preventing piglet death they have animal welfare drawbacks.

Here on Stryker Farm we do not use farrowing crates, rather we let sows give birth outside or in bedded shelters. At first, we struggled with keeping piglets alive and lost nearly 50% of litters. This was not only discouraging but our profitability went down the drain. Over time we learned how to better manage the sows and by following the guidelines below we've been able to lower our piglet mortality rate to around 15%.

The first lesson we learned was to use a good sow. A good sow must be calm and careful when lying down. She must have instincts to make a comfortable nest for herself and her piglets. She must be protective of her litter but not mean. She needs to have ample nipples and produce a good amount of milk. She needs to be healthy and have desirable genetics to pass on to her offspring.

We also learned to adapt to current weather conditions. During the warm months, April-September, we allow the pigs to farrow outdoors.  Generally this just means we put a bale of straw under a tree and let her do her thing. Sometimes we will set up a metal port-a-hut with bedding to provide even more protection from the elements. When the weather is extremely hot, over 90 deg F, we make mud puddles near the sow's nest so she can occasionally get muddy and cool off .

We also realized that privacy is important. Sows like to farrow in a secluded, private place where other pigs won't bother them or their piglets. When we put port-a-huts or straw bedding out in the woods we space them far apart so that every sow has her own space and there are no territorial disputes. 

So there you have it, a brief introduction to pasture-farrowing. It might seem like a lot of work but we wouldn't have it any other way!

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4 Comments
Suzanne link
6/14/2016 08:23:38 am

We have allowed our one pastured, Tamworth sow to have her last two litters out in the woods where SHE picked. She's an experienced mom which is probably why we haven't had any losses yet. But, her daughter will farrow soon and I've been struggling with how to manage her. I have three questions for you. 1) When sows farrow in the same area do they ever hurt each others piglets? 2) Should I put her in a different paddock from and her mother and the boar and encourage her to farrow in the barn so I can keep a closer eye on her and 3) Is it good or dangerous to allow the boar to be around when the sows farrow? Thank you

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Stryker Farm
6/18/2016 09:10:23 am

Hi Suzanne,

It really depends on the size of your paddock. Sows can sometimes get agitated and aggressive if they are farrowing in close quarters. Thus they are more likely to crush piglets.

Other times we have seem two sows that are "friends" purposely nest together so it also depends on how they get along. Giving them plenty of room and allowing them the option for privacy is key to keeping down stress and reducing piglet crushing.

We have had boars in the same paddock as our farrowing sows and had no problems. Usually boars prefer to keep to themselves when not breeding.

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Michael Kennedy
9/11/2016 05:18:32 pm

What do you do with the boars during this time

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John Huron link
1/9/2021 01:41:07 pm

Thank you for sharring this

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    Nolan Thevenet

    -Owner of Stryker Farm.
    Better known as the pig whisperer.

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