CATDOLL : Why do sows eat some of their young pigs?

Why do sows eat some of their young pigs?

In a pig herd, sometimes sows eat some of their young pigs, which has attracted people's attention. In fact, there are certain physiological reasons behind this phenomenon, which requires us to analyze in depth.

Postpartum anxiety in sows

Postpartum anxiety is a major reason why sows eat their piglets. Sows feel anxious after giving birth, especially those who are new mothers. Faced with the care of multiple piglets, they may not be able to meet the needs of all the piglets, so they will eat some of the piglets to relieve their anxiety.

Natural selection in pigs

In nature, animal groups often undergo natural selection. For sows, eating some of their young pigs may be to ensure the survival of themselves and other young pigs. Through this behavior, the sow can focus on caring for the remaining young pigs and increase their survival rate.

Disease infection

Sometimes sows will eat some of their young to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Disease can spread quickly in a pig pen, so sows may do this to protect the health of the entire herd.

Behavioral disorders

In addition, the phenomenon of sows eating their young pigs may sometimes be caused by behavioral disorders of the sows. The sows may have abnormal behaviors for some reason, leading to this abnormal behavior.

In summary, there are many reasons why sows eat some of their young pigs, including postpartum anxiety, natural selection of the pig herd, disease infection and behavioral disorders. For this phenomenon, we need to take corresponding measures according to the specific situation to ensure the health of the pig herd and the survival of the young pigs.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope it helps to understand the physiological reasons why sows eat their piglets.