Coughing and scratching pigs

Some of our pigs cough real bad. It seems that they are choking, and their whole body gets into it. It lasts for about 3-5 minutes at a time, and not only when feeding, so it isn't the chop dust. Some also have scabbing behind their ears. The person who had them before us said that they had been treated for Mange with a Malathion/water mixture. We have no idea if that's appropriate, what amounts of each to use if it is, or if it's the best thing for them. They have not been exposed to any other pigs for the past 2.5 months, but are not gaining very well, and the coughing is of concern. We don't like to use chemicals, but are very new to pigs so maybe that's necessary.

Any suggestions about possible causes and/or treatment? Any help is sure appreciated.

Judy

 

Thanks Farmall. The pigs are about 5 months old and are pretty underweight compared to other pigs their age. They should be close to market weight already and they are not even close. I would guess they are about 75 lbs lighter than they "should" be. They are WAY smaller than their siblings which live next door. The pigs that cough seem to be trying to regurgitate (sp?). It is really sad to watch and so I thought I would post the question to see if there was anything I could do. I have never even heard of a pig oiler, but there is no shortage of used oil around here since we farm and DH is a trucker. I'll look into that oiler tomorrow. As for getting other types of oil on them, I'm not sure they would let me, but I'll give it a try. Anything to help them. Since it will be winter again soon, they'll need to pick up the pace as we have nothing here for winter shelter. I'd guess that we have about another month at most before they have to be butchered.

I appreciate the info and will look into it.

Judy

 

A problem common with hogs is dust pneumonia.. When it is dry the nest they sleep in or the pen where they run is dusty, and they breath too much of it and cough.. You could sprinkle a coating of used oil on the area where they sleep, and any other dusty places.. It would help the cough, if it is a dust cough, and it would also help the mange.. A wooden post with an oily gunny sack wrapped around it makes a cheap hog oiler.. I forgot, gunny sacks are almost extinct.. Your husbands carhart hunting coat would work.. Till he gets home!!! Unk

 

Also your pigs may have worms.. Most pigs do.. If they haven't been wormed lately, I would do that.. A vet can sell you wormer, and mange medication also.. You don't have to have him come out and do the treating.. You could ask them about what your pigs need.. Free.. Unk

 

Call your local vet out. Keep the non coughing pigs as far from the coughing ones as possible but not mixed with the rest of the herd. There was such a thing as coleria back 20 years ago pigs cough with that just get em tested. It may be the best money ever spent. My brother in law had coleria in his farrowing herd 20 years ago and he lost every pig and hog on the place and couldn't put any more on the place for quite awhile.

I hope yours have a clean bill of health.

Sun

 

Thanks all. I will be making the oiler today using Don's suggestion. It has been very dry and there is LOTS of dust in the pen. We can find some old burlap bags, I am sure. If not, there's things we can use other than Ron's jacket..LOL. His remaining hair would curl with that notion, I am sure...LOL.

The local Farm supply place said for us to use Ivamac for the worms, but I don't want to be injecting chemicals into the meat we will be eating. Is there another (natural) alternative for worms?

Judy

 

My pigs used to get excited and cough when I came around to feed them. I thought for a long time they were sick, but it was just them expressing excitement about eating.