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- Prevention Works
The 2 phases of milk production
1. Colostrum phase
- On average sows produce about 5 litres of colostrum, where every piglet needs 250 ml each
- Colostrum is released within 15 hours of the birth-process starting
- Be aware of the "milk gap" between day 1 and day 2. At this point a deficiency in nutrient supply may arise. This is often interpreted and recorded as the sow being hypogalactic.
2. Lactation milk
- From day 2 onwards normal, lactation milk is produced.
- At the peak of lactation, the sow can produce as much as 15-17 litres a day of milk. Strong, active piglets stimulate sow’s milk production better by more forceful massaging of the udder
