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Warm Water Bath - Saves a piglet

Posts: 53

Location: Toledo, WA

posted 13 years ago

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAipJYYqDqw

{{{Ignore the farrowing crates if you can..}}}

I saved a piglet using this method. She was stuck in cold morning mud at less than a couple hours old, limp and very cold. I was not optimistic. I didn't have/nor remember the floater - but held the little piglet in the warm water, and kept a slow warm flow going, for as long as possible. Absolutely saved her life.

New Heritage Farms, SW Washington
Heritage Breed Tamworth Pigs ~ The Irish Grazer
PiGturesque Pasture Pigs ~ Pasture Perfect Pork

Tyler Ludens

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posted 13 years ago

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Hurray for saving the piglet.

I was able to save a chick that couldn't hatch properly and was stuck in the egg, cold. I picked the shell off her, wiped her off with a warm damp washcloth and put her under a light bulb and she revived and lived a good long life.

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Vickie Hinkley

Posts: 53

Location: Toledo, WA

posted 13 years ago

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Yahoo for all the little ones we can save and our best shot for those we can't.

New Heritage Farms, SW Washington
Heritage Breed Tamworth Pigs ~ The Irish Grazer
PiGturesque Pasture Pigs ~ Pasture Perfect Pork

Chris Fitt

Posts: 115

Location: Eastern Shore VA

posted 13 years ago

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That so cool. Good for you and the piglet. Post some updates. Warms my heart to think about it.

Burra Maluca

out to pasture

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posted 13 years ago

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Racehorse breeders have a similar trick. Newborn foals rely on the shock of hitting the cold air to stimulate them to start breathing. Racehorse mares are often so pampered that the air isn't cold enough and the foals won't start breathing.

The cure? Throw a bucket of cold water over them!

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Warren David

Posts: 187

posted 13 years ago

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One of the YouTube comments that made me chuckle.

Getting it used to the pot at a very early age, interesting.
buzzhawk 2 days ago

Jordan Lowery

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Posts: 1528

Location: zone 7

posted 13 years ago

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haha the face on that pig when he realized what was going on is priceless.

The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. - Masanobu Fukuoka

Vickie Hinkley

Posts: 53

Location: Toledo, WA

posted 13 years ago

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soil wrote:
haha the face on that pig when he realized what was going on is priceless.

I know! I love it. And the little-licky-lips. The instant relaxation - priceless.

New Heritage Farms, SW Washington
Heritage Breed Tamworth Pigs ~ The Irish Grazer
PiGturesque Pasture Pigs ~ Pasture Perfect Pork

Vickie Hinkley

Posts: 53

Location: Toledo, WA

posted 13 years ago

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misfit wrote:
That so cool. Good for you and the piglet. Post some updates. Warms my heart to think about it.

Well, Princess, is just fine. A big girl now, about 4 months old, hanging with her brothers and sisters. She is in good health. The smallest, but also the friendliest.

I seem to have killed my camera - so it may be a while before I could post a photo.

New Heritage Farms, SW Washington
Heritage Breed Tamworth Pigs ~ The Irish Grazer
PiGturesque Pasture Pigs ~ Pasture Perfect Pork

Walter Jeffries

Posts: 1114

Location: Mountains of Vermont, USDA Zone 3

posted 13 years ago

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We've used this technique successfully too and a local dairy farmer told me about doing it with full size Holstein cows (big animals) who had gotten chilled or hurt a leg.

The one caution on the piglet is don't beat yourself up if the piglet does not make it. What I have found is that most of the piglets that are so weak that I try to save are actually non-viable. They are that small percentage who have some sort of congenital defect like an imperfect heart, lungs, etc and just aren't going to live no matter how hard we try to help them. It can be emotionally difficult. You keep trying because that's what you do...

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa

http://SugarMtnFarm.com

Vickie Hinkley

Posts: 53

Location: Toledo, WA

posted 13 years ago

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Totally agreed. I've not been successful with real runts - I mean not just smaller - but tiny. I did ask the vet if deadly diarrhea was very common with runts. He said absolutely; they think it's caused by a chill the little guys can't shake. humph - very interesting. But I've also seriously considered that there may be birth defects in play.

Pig-in-a-Blanket, below, was the first successful save.

024.JPG

New Heritage Farms, SW Washington
Heritage Breed Tamworth Pigs ~ The Irish Grazer
PiGturesque Pasture Pigs ~ Pasture Perfect Pork

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