CATDOLL : Guidelines for oxytocin injection in sows: safe and effective procedures

In the breeding industry, the health and fertility of sows are directly related to the economic benefits of the entire farm. Oxytocin is a commonly used drug that can effectively shorten the delivery time of sows, reduce postpartum bleeding, and improve the reproductive efficiency of sows. This article will give you a detailed introduction on how to inject oxytocin into sows, including its effects, applicable conditions, injection steps, and precautions.

The role of oxytocin

Oxytocin is mainly used to promote uterine contraction and help sows effectively expel the fetus during delivery. Its specific effects include:

• Promote cervical dilation : Oxytocin can make the cervix dilate more easily, thereby speeding up the process of labor.
• Reduce postpartum hemorrhage : By inducing strong uterine contractions, oxytocin helps reduce the occurrence of postpartum hemorrhage.
• Improve the reproductive efficiency of sows : reduce the time required for farrowing and increase the frequency of sow reproduction.

Applicable situations

Oxytocin is mainly used in the following situations:

• Dystocia : For sows experiencing dystocia, oxytocin can be injected to help induce farrowing.
• Delayed farrowing : When sows are past due, injections of oxytocin can accelerate farrowing.
• Postpartum recovery : Helps sows restore their uterus to normal state faster after giving birth.

Steps for oxytocin injection

Before administering oxytocin to your sows, make sure you have the following necessary tools and supplies:

• Sterile syringe
• Oxytocin drugs
• Disinfectant cotton balls or alcohol cotton balls

Here are the specific steps for injecting oxytocin:

1. Preparation : Clean the syringe to ensure it is free of contamination. Shake the oxytocin bottle well.
2. Disinfection : Use alcohol cotton balls to disinfect the area to be injected, usually the neck or thigh of the sow.
3. Extracting the drug solution : Use a sterile syringe to draw out an appropriate amount of oxytocin, avoiding the formation of bubbles.
4. Injection of medicine : Quickly insert the needle into the sow's subcutaneous tissue and slowly push the medicine in to ensure there is no backflow.
5. Observe the reaction : Observe the sow's reaction after injection to ensure that there is no adverse reaction.

Post-injection care

After injecting oxytocin, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• Observe the condition of the sow : Closely observe the physical condition of the sow and deal with any abnormalities in a timely manner.
• Provide a comfortable environment : Ensure that the sows’ living environment is quiet and comfortable to reduce stress reactions.
• Timely nutritional supplementation : After the sow gives birth, give it appropriate nutritional supplements to improve its physical recovery.

Precautions

There are several important considerations when administering oxytocin to sows:

• Follow the dosage : Use oxytocin strictly according to the instructions or veterinary advice, and do not increase the dosage at will.
• Observe the pregnancy period : Ensure that the injection is given at the appropriate time during the sow's pregnancy to avoid harm to the fetus.
• Avoid infection : Keep the syringe and injection site sterile to reduce the risk of infection.

Summarize

Oxytocin is an effective drug that can promote sow farrowing and recovery when necessary. However, the correct injection method and post-care are very important. Following the steps and precautions described above can help farmers improve the reproductive efficiency of sows and increase the economic benefits of the farm.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope that through the introduction of this article, you can better master the technology of injecting oxytocin into sows and improve the level of breeding management!