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KEYS TO BUILDING PIGLETS IMMUNITY

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 The first few hours of life can define the lifetime performance of a pig. A weak pig will also struggle, especially as it is exposed to an array of antigens and environmental stresses as it grows. Emmanuel U. Ozuluonye, Animal Health/Production Consultant, Zulinkx Agro & Vet. Services, outlines four key areas that pig farmers need to focus on to build a strong immunity foundation for piglets.

“When the piglet is born, it is a very naive animal. It does not have a well developed immune system. So most of the immunity that the pig will require for survival will come through passive immunity from the mother to the piglet,” Ozuluonye says.
He further explains there is no passage of antibodies while the piglet is in the womb. Therefore, the protection the piglets receive immediately after birth is critical.

FOUR (4) ESSENTIAL THINGS THAT BUILD SOLID PIGLETS IMMUNITY:
Piglets receiving colostrum within the first 20hrs of birth
1. SOW/DAM HEALTH
Piglet immunity originates with the sow.
The first place to begin in enhancing a piglet’s immunity is the sow. It is important to make sure the sow is in optimal condition prior to farrowing.
Sows need to be healthy, vaccinated properly, not lame, no injury to the mammary gland and free from infections.  “You want to make that sow completely comfortable. The most important thing is the sow is healthy because that is the only way she will be a good mother and provide colostrum intake.”

2. Colostrum, a life insurance policy:
The next step is to make sure the piglet suckles the colostrum. It is not only energy and food for the piglets, but also packed full of antibodies necessary to keep them healthy. When the pig is born, there is a space between intestinal cells and those spaces allow the antibodies from the colostrum to be absorbed. Those antibodies circulating in the piglets’ blood protects them from bacteria and viruses circulating in the barn. Those gaps will actually close 18 to 20 hours after birth. So, it is imperative the piglet suckles milk immediately after birth. The only challenge with sows having more pigs per litter is the piglets on average are smaller. So, it is important for producers to make sure all the piglets, especially the smallest ones, nurse immediately after birth. If a piglet is not doing well then it will need some attention to make sure it receives colostrum. “Colostrum is basically their life insurance.”

3. USE OF PIGLETS ENHANCER
This is a piglet growth supplement/booster that also prevents diarrhea/watery stool due to clostridium bacteria and E.coli  which is the number one killer of newborn pigs and enhances adequate utilization of colostrum while promoting the growth of the piglets.


A bottle of piglet enhancer

Administering piglet enhancer to a weak pig

NB: EVERY PIG FARMER NEEDS PIGLETS ENHANCER
Benefits of using piglets enhancer:

• Supports Piglet Immunity and Gut Health
  • Prevents Diarrhoea
  • Supports faster growth rates
  • Improves feed digestion while suckling and after weaning.
  • Increases utilisation of protein in feed.
  • Increases weaning weight.
  • Provides Vitamins A, D, E, Lysine, Methionine,Probiotics
When to feed:
•At birth
•When fostering
•For weaker & smaller pigs
•At weaning

Feeding Rate: (100 pigs per bottle) 250ml. 2.5ml per pig per day and repeated 5days after the first administration, follow in such sequence afterwards. 

4. Assisting the pig from day one
The care the piglet receives on day one is a significant component of building pig immunity. Ozuluonye says, “It is important to do all the day one pig care practices to make sure that pig suckles colostrum.”

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