CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to deal with difficult births in piglets? How to solve the problem of piglets not being able to leave the birth canal?

Dystocia in piglets is one of the most common problems in the pig farming industry. Once a piglet fails to pass through the birth canal, it can have a significant impact on the pig's health and productivity. In this article, we will explore the causes, symptoms, and solutions for dystocia in piglets.

1. Causes of dystocia in suckling pigs

There are usually several reasons for dystocia in suckling pigs:

• Small cervical opening: Narrow cervical opening is one of the common causes of dystocia in piglets. Small cervical opening may be caused by problems such as overweight pigs, uterine hypoplasia or uterine edema.
• Fetal abnormalities: Fetal malformations or abnormal positions can also cause dystocia in piglets. Fetal size that exceeds the sow's fertility capacity or abnormal fetal position, such as transverse or inverted position, increases the risk of dystocia in piglets.
• Poor productivity: Some sows have low productivity, which results in an increased chance of having difficult farrowings. This can be due to genetic problems, poor nutrition or poor health.

2. Symptoms of dystocia in piglets

Symptoms of dystocia in piglets often include:

• Piglets continue to breathe rapidly or appear unusually anxious before farrowing.
• The piglets have a longer delay in farrowing.
• The piglets try to push to farrow but progress is slow or they don’t farrow at all.
• Piglets experience severe pain reactions after farrowing.

3. Solutions to the problem of piglets not being able to descend from the birth canal

When it is found that the suckling piglet does not go down the birth canal, the following measures can be taken to solve the problem:

• Early intervention: If you find signs of dystocia in your piglets, you should intervene immediately. You can help decide the next steps by observing the piglets' symptoms and seeking advice from your veterinarian.
• Treatment for the cause: Choose the appropriate treatment method according to the cause of dystocia. For example, cervical stenosis can be treated by using a dilator or oxytocin to dilate the cervix; fetal abnormalities can be treated by surgery or transposition to help piglets give birth.
• Maintain a clean environment: A difficult birthing process may cause injury to the piglets, so the birthing room needs to be kept clean and the piglets need to be properly cared for and observed to prevent infection or other complications.
• Prevent piglets from being too fat: Through reasonable feeding and management, prevent piglets from being too fat to reduce the risk of cervical stenosis.
• Raise excellent breeding sows: Select pigs with excellent fertility and good health for breeding to reduce the probability of dystocia in piglets.

In short, dystocia in piglets is a common problem in the breeding industry, but timely intervention and treatment of the cause can effectively solve the problem of piglets not coming down the birth canal. At the same time, preventing piglets from being too fat and selecting excellent breeding sows are also important measures to prevent dystocia in piglets. If you encounter dystocia in piglets during breeding, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian or professional in time to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope it can provide help and guidance to people in the breeding industry.