River Cottage

Sorry to hear that, how awful. There was a couple of threads possibly last year? where 2 separate owners had lost a pig suddenly. Sorry I am no help as to why it happened but glad to hear you are having a pm done, at least you will find out why. As for introducing another, then I would say definately, either a similar size or perhaps 2 smaller ones, so you can take this one to slaughter and still have 2 who will have comapny for eachother? There will be an initial scrap but this young they quickly get over it, good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks Dixie we agree that maybe we will get 2 weaners, but will wait for the pm results.

In the meantime I am paranoid about the one that's left.... I can't remember from last time - is it normal for some foam / froth around the mouth?

Some pigs froth when they are waiting for food, some sows froth when approached by a boar, and a boar will produce gallons of it when there is a sow on heat.  It can be a submissive sign, but if the remaining weaner is outside, just check there are no nasty weeds that could be causing this.  Let us know what the PM says.

Here is an interim post mortem report.  There are a few incidental findings such as mild worm damage but the main finding so far is that there was fluid in both the chest and abdomen.  Further tests are ongoing .

I had been unpleasantly surprised to find the pigs had not been wormed before we got them, I think it should be done at weaning don't you?

I'm so sorry to hear what you've been going through, but well done for going for a post mortem.

Most good breeders will worm before selling, so I can understand your disappointment. However, I have always been extra cautious and anything I have bought in (not a lot in recent years) has been wormed on arrival, just in case.

Good luck with it all, and don't let this experience put you off pigs.

Thanks Liz, tell me what you think .... we have been offered a replacement, her sister from the same litter so would be 4 months old (at the same cost as a weaner). Do we accept as this would be best for her (though I can't picture how to get such a big pig into the electric fencing and stay there if she's not used to it) or do we mistrust the breeder and look for 2 weaners.

Without knowing anything about the breeder and his/her husbandry or reputation, it's impossible to advise whether or not you should go back to them and take more stock.

At this stage, however, the pm results you've had don't indicate that the breeder was to blame for what happened (not likely to be caused entirely by worms if only slight damage has shown up).

So, I'd be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and take the replacement - BUT ONLY if (now armed with the benefit of hindsight)  you are happy with the conditions pigs are kept in on that particular farm.

If this had happened to a weaner I had sold, I would have offered a replacement free of charge, as a gesture of goodwill. However, getting a four-month-old pig for the price of a weaner sounds fair - but I would insist on it being wormed as a precaution beforehand. You'll be fine with the withdrawal period if you're planning on keeping her a couple of months longer.

Whatever you decide to buy, you are going to have problems introducing them at this stage. There will be an initial tussle, but it should blow over - though it's never nice watching pigs deliberately hurting one another.

Is there any way you can introduce them in a neutral area? Maybe a separate paddock or a large barn? Your remaining gilt is going to be extremely territorial, so taking them both to a new area will help. Otherwise, make sure your existing area is plenty big enough for one to run away if it gets bullied too much.

I hope this helps.

P.S. It's only just occurred to me - I've assumed you are rearing these for meat. If this assumption is wrong and you're raising to breed from, I would have a lot of second thoughts about taking that second gilt. If it were me, I'd be looking to another source for good breeding stock.

Thanks for that Liz - very helpful, and yes they're for meat.

Why?

There`s nothing been mentioned about Poor breeding stock,only that they were`nt wormed as weaners

Fluid in the Chest and Abdomen ,lets wait for the Full PM,before hanging the breeder.

True jimcrow, I think we're going to get the sister we just want to wait for results.

In the meantime it is so sad for her, she's clearly bored and lonely, i am spending too much time in with her. I stuffed a hessian sack with straw for her to sleep with and she is cuddling up to it in her lonely little house.