2014 Piglets Are Here!

We got our piglets a recently!  They are only 5 weeks old but already at a strong healthy weight and looking excellent.  We estimate they are somewhere between 20-30 lbs.
Our farmer friend who raises them usually decides when to wean by watching the mother.  He decides to separate them when the mother is looking stressed and tired and when she is becoming irritated and nipping at them (ie, the sow is ready for them to be weaned and is doing it herself).  From my understanding and reading, the sow is usually NOT successful at fully weaning her piglets herself.  Piglets are VERY persistent feeders and their quick growth is evidence of that.  When they are little they are constantly following their mother around waiting for her to lay down so they can nurse.  Once she does they hop right on eat, eat, eat.

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Once the piglets get taller they are able to nurse from the mother even when she is not laying down.  Pig farmers will tell you they will pester the mother until she gets pretty irritated at them.... sometimes the mother will even get aggressive with the piglets to ward them off.  Mothers will lay flat on their bellies to keep the tits from the piglets.

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A blog post from Sugar Mountain Farm in Vermont explained how they attempted to let the piglets wean naturally, he said they never did and had to intervene due to the mother getting "a bit peaked".

Most farmers wean their piglets between 5-10 weeks from my understanding.  Factory farms wean theirs around 10-15 days.
Piglets start on other sources of food around 4 or weeks..... usually this is feed.  Just like human babies they need more calories eventually than what is found in mother's milk.  Also, sow's milk is devoid of iron.  Therefore piglets being kept on a concrete floor will need an iron supplement.  Piglets with access to dirt will root and get their needed iron from the dirt.
Last, before I share our piglet's photos, I want to mention that I am researching and plan to blog about farrowing crates (stalls where sows are kept while giving birth and through the early days following labor).  Our farmer informed me that they are illegal to use in Massachusetts.  I understand both sides, but I don't think most other people do.  Stay tuned for that if interested.

Now for the our piglet pictures!  Here are our two little gilts (gilt is a female pig before she becomes a mother).

We decided to get only females this year because in the past the females have been cleaner (only using the bathroom in the pasture and not near the food or bedding).  Maybe just a coincidence?  We will see how these do.

Just as previous years, we got Hampshire/Yorkshire crosses.  Long bodies mean more meat capacity.

Cute little hams.

Good hand sniffing form.... back of hand so there's nothing to possibly nip.

Already rooting, look at the little muddy noses-

I think someone else is as happy with these piglets as I am-

She does like animals.  Here is little lady last month at my parents farm.... who doesn't like a good game of peek-a-boo.