Such has been the severity of the winter snow and ice that the OSAB sows have been with their litters a lot longer than usual.
Normally I wean my OSAB or Saddleback sows at 8 weeks after farrowing. Sometimes less for gilts with large litters when they start to loose too much body condition.
But the two OSAB gilts, both winners of breed championships at shows in 2010, have remained cocooned inside with their litters.Too dangerous and torturous to risk them slipping on the yards ice and snow. However in the thaw of last week I was able to wean the two sows and put them outside in a paddock with the pedigree Patric OSAB boar. He has not been put off by the cold and snow as this morning 5 days after weaning he is busy serving one of the sows in six inches of snow!
When does a gilt become a sow? When she is weaned from her first litter, although she will still have a lot of growing to do.
I’m off to Canada Skiing for 3 weeks and not back until the 18th of January, so please contact Carole with all your pigkeeping course inquiries.
Please do have a great Christmas and the happiest of piggy New Years.
John
