This is a failure of milk let down, shortage of milk or no milk in an otherwise healthy animal.
Symptoms
Lactating Sows only
- Inappetence may or not be present.
- May have slight fever but usually no temperature.
- Udder tissue is poorly developed and disappearing.
- Oedema of the udder.
- No milk.
- Piglets starving due to no milk.
Piglets, Weaners & Growers
- N/A
Causes / Contributing factors
- Old age.
- Excess body condition.
- Water shortage.
- Poor crate design.
- Sequel to oedema or mastitis.
Diagnosis
This is based upon the appearance of the litter, piglets showing starvation, and the udder which lacks milk and is “drying up”, or the udder may be hard with oedema or fluid.