My pig deliver piglets last night.She's young and had 10 .She is doing great , problem is I have 1 weak one.I brought it in the house and have been giving it goat milk by eye dropper.I also gave her iron and some molases for a quick sugar and iron boost .Any other suggestions ? It was a good thing I bought the milk goat last night !

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 28, 2000

Answers

Years ago a vet gave me this recipe for wild bunnies we should have left but didn't. I ran across it again as an emergency colostrum although it contains no antibodies when I had a weak kid at the University of Missouri vet school. Anyway, to a pint of goat milk, blend in one egg, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon cod liver oil or liquid infant vitamins and feed at body temperature. Your milk, iron and molasses have nearly everything covered except for the extra protein from the egg and the vitamins.

It's a harsh reality but Mother Nature allows many to be born then culls the weak ones. That piglet may grow off to be the one that puts the project in the black but don't feel bad or blame yourself if it doesn't make it. Sounds like you are doing the best for the little thing that you can. Good luck.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), April 28, 2000.

To my surprise its still alive and looking better .Gave antibiotics and vit.B last night and it perked up !I am concerned about its back end , it can't stand and I'm not sure if its still to weak or if it's a true problem .Time will tell .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 29, 2000.

What are the chances that the sow may have laid on it??

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), April 29, 2000.

It is always possible the sow laid,stepped or sat on it .She is being very well behaved though.I spent some time with her today petting her and the babies.She has made them a nice bed and will push them to one side before laying down . The weak one is doing much better , even starting to walk again .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 29, 2000.

if it has a weak hind end, chances are it got a little squished. that doesn't mean, it won't make it,though. here is our recipe, that we used a few times already, and it always worked for us. goatmilk is really good, cowsmilk will work, too. but they really need to have some grain in there, if you want to avoid scours. heat the milk up a bit ,and add some plain cream of wheat. stir it till it thickens, then add some raw eggs (1 or 2 ) stir it up good. raw eggs are really good for them.you can also add some cornsyrup, to give them some sugars. later on you can also use oatmeal instead of the cream of wheat.i used to try, and get it in their mouth with a little spoon,but i found out, that a lot of them will catch on to eating out of a low bowl really fast, if you stick their nose in it. hope this helps someone,karin.

-- karin morey (wind_crest@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.