It's a Full Moon and We Have a Pile O' Pork!

 

Pile O' Pork!

Our sow Danielle had a litter of nine piglets (or poglets as I call them) sometime Friday. I call them poglets since I haven’t been able to have anyone tell me the difference between hogs and pigs. We raise Mulefoot Hogs, but I’ve heard them referred to as Mulefoot Pigs as well. I suppose I could have called them phogs (fogs) or phoigs (foygs), but the pog/poglet name stayed with me as more fun. Goofy reasoning, but there it is!

It is always exciting when babies—calves, poglets, chicks, ducklings—are born on the farm. Mulefoots don’t usually have large litters like other breeds (15 to 30…oy) tend to have which is one of the reasons we chose to raise Mulefoots—the little ones are about the size of a soda can, all black with tiny mulefeet, squeakers one and all. All the babies were dry by the time we discovered they had arrived and momma was nursing them and napping contentedly, so we figured she had them around noon. We have found that poglets don’t have too much fat under their thin skins, so plenty of straw or hay must be provided. While they snuggle next to mom and sleep or nurse they can stay warm, but there are times when mom needs a break and the straw or hay provides a very warm place to burrow. Their dad, our handsome boar Henry, has been attentive and helping to pile up hay in the nursery. He is pretty careful about not stepping on any little squirmers!

Some hog farmers told us a couple of things that have not proven to be the case for us or for anyone who has purchased breeding stock from us. For one, we were told you can’t keep a boar in with the babies because he’ll eat them. Henry has never been kept away while the babies are being born and raised. He, in fact, will stand guard outside the nursery and will lay across the entrance at night so they don’t wander out and nothing unwanted wanders in. As the little ones get bigger, they tend to crawl all over him and he just lays there, an indulgent papa. He has never eaten or chewed on a baby.

Poglets caught DWA--
Drinking While Asleep!

We were also told that the sows are mean as can be and will “hurt you bad” if you get near their babies. That may be true for some, but I think the difference for us is that our sows are handled…we rub their bellies when they are round with babies and milk, scratch their itchy spots, and talk to them. We aren’t in their pasture messing with them every day as though they were pets (because they are not pets), but we also don’t just toss food over the fence and never interact with them. I try to be respectful of my new mommas and never rush in and force them to let me handle or intrude. I let her tell me it is okay for me to be close and I don’t overstay my welcome. I do touch every baby, stroke mom a lot, try to count how many boys and girls there are, and do a look see on the whole environment.

The babies start moving out and about within a few days of birth, so the nursery expands rather quickly! But they are never left unattended for long and they are called to mom if they wander out a bit too far. They are funny to watch and listen to and I hope to get a couple of videos of them soon. In the meantime, we can truly say we have a pile o’ pork!