On the Farm:
We had our first four litters of piglets for 2017 this past week. Pigs used to living on pasture are pretty rugged creatures; food, water, and shelter from the elements is usually all they require. However, the first 24 hours after piglets are born they are much more vulnerable to the elements. We timed our litters this year to try to avoid the coldest months of the year, but got surprised by this little March cold snap we are having. That took a toll on our first two litters born last weekend and we lost a number of piglets to exposure. Unfortunately, this is the reality of farming, and raising pigs outside. Our second two litters fared much better.
Below is a video of our Tamworth sow “Lemon”, that farrowed this morning: