# Maple Syrup Smell



## wastedwages (Jul 8, 2014)

One of my gilts is pregnant. I don't know her exact due date, but this evening when we were out feeding I could smell Maple Syrup. Her sister smelled the same way right before she farrowed, but I don't remember the time frame. Does anyone know? I'm waiting for the vulva to swell before we move her into her farrowing nest.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Interesting. I've heard of this smell with Pot Bellied Pigs. Never smelled it as we don't have those. I hadn't heard about it being associated with farrowing. Could be a quite useful tell.

Please fill in your location information which makes it easier to answer questions. At the very least your zone. See this thread:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/pigs/505485-please-fill-location-info.html

-Walter


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## 3acres (Feb 6, 2013)

I haven't smelled a pre-farrowing smell from the sow yet, but have been trying to place what the babies smell like while I'm a nosin' on them.......reminds me of something???...I think???

I had a brahma bucking bull one time that's hump smelled exactly like cotton candy! I was always a rubbin' and smellin' on it!.......and made everybody else smell it, too....


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

When our gilts and sow are happy they smell of maple syrup


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## Gravytrain (Mar 2, 2013)

My pigs smell like maple syrup too.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Ketosis can cause sweet smelling urine. Perhaps your pigs are getting slightly ketotic right before farrowing?


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## wastedwages (Jul 8, 2014)

Laymen terms, please


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

wastedwages said:


> Laymen terms, please


It may be that the girls aren't getting enough nutrients to fulfil their requirements. Energy intake is less than energy needs. Sometimes it is a lack of enough food, but sometimes it's a lack of space in the stomach (due to fetus(es)) to hold all the food needed. 

Are your girls sluggish? Eating normally? Getting enough to eat?


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## wastedwages (Jul 8, 2014)

No they're not sluggish at all and eating enough and eating normally.


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

I have one sow who has that smell. It comes and goes, though when I'm in the pasture I know when shes right behind me. Its odd because its an overall smell, but when i put my nose to her she smells like a normal pig.

The maple musk was strong about a day before farrowing, but again, it comes and goes.

Shes not ketoic. its just her scent.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Maple flavored bacon?


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## Pig in a poke (Mar 27, 2013)

Our pigs have the maple syrup smell. AGH sow and her barrow brother (their parents did not, though).


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

Do you have fenugreek where they graze? It makes you smell like maple syrup but I have no idea if fenugreek even grows wild in the US.

I just know that it is an herb that women take to increase milk supply during lactation. The way you know that you are taking enough is that you smell like maple syrup.


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## wastedwages (Jul 8, 2014)

I've never heard of fenugreek.


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## GreenMomma (Jun 3, 2008)

Ours do have a maple smell, but not everyone can smell it. I can and one of my sons can... hubby cannot. I always bring it up and last night I made pork chops. They were so delish and I was commenting on how they had a sweetness to them, much like the maple smell. Hubby made fun of me a little, then asked me what I put on them. When I told him just a little olive oil in the pan and salt and pepper on the chops, he FINALLY admitted that there might be something to that maple smell I keep telling him about. He thought I used a little soy sauce or something. 

Ours are AGH and we pasture them together or in neighboring pens. I don't really know if some of them have the smell and some don't... it's just kind of a barnyard air freshener, lol.


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## woodsman14 (Oct 6, 2014)

Odd, our pigs smell like maple syrup too, even the boar, thank goodness! The last boar we had stunk of taint, it was so terrible, you could smell him from 300 yards when he pee'd!


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## Kyla (Aug 16, 2013)

How odd! I thought my hubby and I were the only ones with pre flavored pigs! Lol, we comment all the time on how our pigs smell of maple syrup and it's very noticeable! You can tell when one has gotten into the garage just by the lingering smell! I wonder what causes it lol.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Pigs smell like the grease/product african americans and some spanish americans put in their hair. Not sweet smelling at all, more of a musk. 




Ketosis can be deadly, you don't want to *****foot around with it if it's suspected even in the slightest.


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## danniulrich05 (Mar 24, 2014)

I have a sow that smells like that when her hormones change. Pre farrowing, post weaning and pre heat. Im not great with plant ID but we have a lot of fenugreek looking plants in our pasture. Its pretty strong I can smell it from about ten feet away, but no one else can smell it.


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