Forward Fostering Routines

Within 24 hours of birth
1	Even litter sizes between sows and gilts which have finished farrowing 24 hours previously
2	Only provide piglets to correspond to teat numbers and numbers normally reared by parity
3	Administer warm colostrum to each piglet to be fostered
On the day of weaning
1	Wean this weeks pigs (say 24 day old piglets)
2	From the next weeks pigs to wean (say 18 day old piglets), select and wean the strongest litter, ensuring there are 10 pigs on the litter and that all the sow's teats work. Ensure the sow's temperament is suitable for fostering. This is sow 1
3	Select one litter of strong piglets from a sow with about 11 day old piglets. This is sow 2
4	Ensure all additional piglets are ear notched
5	Move these piglets forward onto sow 1
6	Encourage the sow to suckle the 11 day old piglets by rubbing her teat line, observing and talking to the sow
7	From piglets of around 7 days select and wean the strongest litter, ensuring there are 10 pigs on the litter and that all her teats work. Ensure the sow's temperament is suitable for fostering. This is sow 3
8	Ensure all additional piglets are ear notched and those less than 7 days of age are teeth clipped
9	Move these piglets forwards onto sow 2
10	Encourage the sow to suckle the 7 day old piglets by rubbing her teat line, observing and talking to the sow
11	Administer warm colostrum to each piglet
12	Move the weakest ten 7 day old or less piglets from their mothers and foster onto sow 3
13	Ensure all additional piglets are ear notched and those less than 7 days of age are teeth clipped
14	Encourage the sow to suckle the 7 day old piglets by rubbing her teat line, observing and talking to the sow
15	Administer warm colostrum to each piglet
16	Record fostering to weaning mortality
17	It is essential that fostering routines do not interfere with all-in/all-out farrowing house practices
18	Fostering is more successful if whole litters are moved
19	Fostering should not be backwards. Older piglets must not be fostered back with younger piglets
20	If adult sows are unable to rear 10+ piglets, investigate why