Tip of the Week: When was the last time you really looked at your sows’ poo?
Acceptable faeces should be a glistening, well-formed mass that is soft to touch. When constipated the faeces become like rounded balls and force is needed to break them. A study has shown that up to 20% of sows given a lactation diet prior to farrowing can still be constipated for several days post-farrowing, resulting in poor daily feed intake, reduced mammary function with inflammation, discomfort and restlessness. Some remedial actions include providing fibre through the addition or substitution of bran to the daily ration and/or introducing feed additives such as probiotics and yeast, both of which can reduce the incidence of constipation
as per one of my other posts, liquid petroleum at a dose of 30ml twice a day squirted in their mouth soon clears the blockage! I have a sow prone to constipation even when she hasn't farrowed and she gets a regular dose to keep her moving.
Constipation After Farrowing
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 10:56:51
