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Sow comfort is directly correlated with pre-weaning mortality,
says Dr. William Hollis, a swine veterinarian with Carthage
(IL) Veterinary Service, Ltd., Carthage, IL. He suggests the
following to help make sure your sows are as comfortable as
possible:
- Crates with enough room for sows to lie
comfortably without crushing piglets. Hollis recommends
crates that are at least five feet wide.
- Crates with a device such as a flipper
bar to protect pigs when sows lie down.
- Dry, non-slick, non-abrasive flooring.
- Proper room and crate ventilation to
keep sows as close to thermal-neutral (65 degrees) as possible,
with adequate zone heating for baby pigs. Plastic flooring
in creep zone enhances pig warmth and may allow somewhat
lower room temperatures.
- Elevated platform to allow the sow to
expose the lower row of teats at a natural level for the
pigs.
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