Getting young pigs through the stressful time of weaning presents some real challenges. The folks at Purina are offering some suggestions to get through this time, including keeping them hydrated and getting them to eat the solid food.
Dan McManus, DVM, swine specialist for Purina Animal Nutrition, says the weaning transition can impact the long-term success of the group, siting a study where pigs with average daily gains (ADG) greater than 0.25 pounds in the first week post-weaning, reached market weight 15 days sooner than pigs that did not gain the first week post-weaning.
“Any challenge in the early stages of the pig’s life can delay their long-term performance,” he says. “Our primary goals at weaning are to get the pigs drinking, eating and comfortable in their new social structure. These goals are the same for both healthy and health-challenged pigs.”
Keep them hydrated.
Dehydration is the greatest concern when pigs are removed from the sow. Research shows only 51 percent of newly weaned pigs consume water in the first 25 hours post-weaning.
“Young, lean pigs are made of up to 70 percent water, so any loss of hydration can be problematic,” McManus says. “Pigs who aren’t drinking are likely not eating. Because of this combination, death losses can occur when pigs lose just 15 percent of their bodyweight.”
McManus suggests gels and electrolytes during pre-weaning to promote proper hydration. Once pigs are hydrated, they are more likely to transition onto solid feeds, especially if a similar feed was introduced pre-weaning.
“For pigs going through weaning or other challenges, the basics are very similar to normal pigs; only, if we make mistakes, they’re magnified,” McManus says. “We need to provide even more attention and supportive care to help them make the transition.”