# Newbie and farrowing



## Expat (Aug 19, 2013)

Just trying to clarify whether some information is an old wives tale, or pucker info.

I have been told NOT to allow the Sow to eat the placenta as it would be harmful to her.

This seems to be against the fashion there used to be for Humans where it was deemed beneficial to eat the placenta, it all seems a bit yucky to me, but I would have thought the pig would just do what comes naturally?


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## CJBegins (Nov 20, 2009)

She can eat it and it won't cause any problems. There will probably be 2 of them. How close is your sow to farrowing?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Let the sow eat the placenta. It is good for her. There should be two as noted above.


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## Expat (Aug 19, 2013)

Thank you both.

I imagined this was the general opinion, but as is the case in this part of the World, there are many ideas that are contrary to views held in America and the UK.

Miss Piggy was mated between the 6th and 7th of June, so I guess we are expecting some excitement around the 22nd of Sept?


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

As noted, it won't hurt her, but if you're farrowing outside or in an open type barn you may find yourself wanting to remove it before she gets around to eating it. In warm weather it will draw flies, which can be hell on that thin, soft piglet skin. In cold weather it introduces more wet to the farrowing area and can cause a chill in any piglets who stumble onto it and fall down. As much as it won't hurt her to eat it, it also won't hurt her to not eat it so just play it by ear and do what's best for your piglets. 

Also, don't be alarmed if you are not there when the placenta passes and it looks like there is only one. It all becomes one big gelatinous mess once passed.


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## Expat (Aug 19, 2013)

olivehill said:


> As noted, it won't hurt her, but if you're farrowing outside or in an open type barn you may find yourself wanting to remove it before she gets around to eating it. In warm weather it will draw flies, which can be hell on that thin, soft piglet skin. In cold weather it introduces more wet to the farrowing area and can cause a chill in any piglets who stumble onto it and fall down. As much as it won't hurt her to eat it, it also won't hurt her to not eat it so just play it by ear and do what's best for your piglets.
> 
> Also, don't be alarmed if you are not there when the placenta passes and it looks like there is only one. It all becomes one big gelatinous mess once passed.




OK,

Thanks for that. It seemed like one of the less palatable elements of the process. Obviously I am going to have a steep learning curve.

Being the Tropics I guess flies and speed of decomposition will be key factors.

Maybe I won't wait for Miss Piggy to get around to having a post labour snack.

Thanks for the insight.


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## Expat (Aug 19, 2013)

I have now finally joined the ranks of successful pig breeder.

The Gilt did her stuff although making life difficult by keeping her rear end very close to the corner and almost jammed up against the side wall.

Luckily we have become very well acquainted over the months so she tolerated a LOT of intervention as I had to scoop the piggies out between her and the wall.

At one point when she decided sitting up would increase the speed of delivery she was resting her head on my knee.

Not having a crate I had to separate the piglets from the mother as she was snappy towards any trying to nurse. Is this normal?

We thought we were all done at 2am with 12 live and one which had been dead a while. lots of placenta and goo. However this morning or later that night depending on how you feel about it...  there was a latched piggy and more placenta.

She stopped being snappy after the last placenta discharge and is now a very tolerant mum.

She ate a little, but simply on house keeping grounds I decided to scoop it up and bury it with the dead one.

Anyway, thanks to the forum for lots of interesting threads to learn from. It has been a great help.


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

When my gilt farrowed she was SCARED and wouldn't let them latch, either. I just got her to roll over for a belly rub and two piglets snuck up and latched on. I could see her relax as she got her first hit of oxytosin. Was great after that. I'm sure farrowing is scary for any pig who has never witnessed another birth. Heck, if i never saw new borns or had sex ed and suddenly had a baby pop out of me I'D be freakin' out, too!


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