Your Animal Doctor

Time sows take to come on heat

I am Daniel Mbuthia and have several questions. First, how many days does a female pig stay to come on heat after weaning the piglets? Second, for how long does it stay on heat and which is the best day to serve it?

Sows and gilts have an average of 21 days estrus cycle. Heat only lasts for not more than 48 hours in gilts and 38-61 hours in sows.

Sows may return to estrus 4-7 days after weaning. Heat should be observed once a day in sows and twice a day for gilts.

The best time to serve a sow on heat is during standing heat when she stands to be mounted by the boar. At breeding, always take the sow to the boar and not the other way round.

Third, are there boosters to reactivate the pig to get on heat like in other livestock?

The best way to stimulate heat in sows is by weaning her piglets, and also housing her next to the boar. There are hormones that are used to induce heat in sows and gilts but are only used under a veterinarian’s prescription.

To improve their well being, vitality and performance, always supplement them with Stressmix in their drinking water.

Fourth, do you have the recommended feeding programme for commercial pigs, from birth up to the right time to sell them?

After they are born, ensure they get colostrum as this ensures they develop immunity against diseases. Piglets 7 to 21 days of age should be fed on pig creep pellets, at 0.5-1kg per piglet, per day.

They are weaned at 21 days of age. When weaning, mix the creep feed with sow and weaner meal for some days and then gradually switch completely to sow and weaner from 8-16 weeks of age, at 0.66-2kg per pig per day and finally pig finisher meal fed from 16-28 weeks of age, at 2.5-3.5kg per pig per day.

Boars may be fed on sow and weaner meal at 2kg per boar per day and when they are serving, increase their ration to 2.5kg.

Changing of feeds is usually a stressful event for the pigs; supplement them with Stressmix in their drinking water for 5 days.

Fifth, what inexpensive commercial feeds can you recommend to small-scale farmers?

Cheap can be expensive especially in animal nutrition because you could end up feeding your pigs for a much longer period to attain market weight. There are a good number of reputable feed millers with pig feeds.

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I want to rear Boer goats

I want to rear pure breed Boer goats. Please share more information on the breed and contacts of possible breeders in Central Kenya.

Jeremiah Muigai, Thika

A Boer goat is brown and white in colour with long pendulous ears. They are fast-growing and are high meat producers. The does may also be kept for milk and kidding.

They originate and are imported from South Africa. A mature Boer buck can weigh up to 135kg. The goats are very hardy and can adapt to any climate.

Boer goats are polyestrous, that is breed continuously year round. Does are ready to breed from five months and may give birth to triplets.

They feed on napier grass mixed with desmodium and sweet potato vines. They can also browse on twigs in the bush. These can be supplemented with Intromin mineral block provided free choice.

Always provide them fresh drinking water.

There are farmers in Ol Kalou in Nyandarua County that rear these goats; for exact contacts, please get in touch with the livestock office near you for help.

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Feeding week-old chickens

I have begun to rear week-old Kienyeji improved chickens. The challenge I have is the frequency of feeding them. Please advise.

Dan Miguda

Feed them with chick mash adlibitum (all the time), particularly during the initial two months as their ultimate performance will depend on their initial nutritional management.

Remember to supplement them with Stressmix regularly to improve their general performance.