Bagging up

You will notice that the sows abdomen will drop so much so that when you look from behind between her back legs it is almost touching the ground – referred to as “bagging up”. She will also start to carry straw from one area to another; will generally throw things around as she is having contractions. From the moment this happens it is generally six hours until birthing is imminent.

When your sow/gilt has made her circle of straw she will lie down, her breathing will become laboured and if she is a gilt from her vulva will come a very dark (almost black in colour) discharge (I have not noticed this dark discharge in subsequent farrowings) at this stage her vulva will be a very dark red and swollen, you will notice that the tail with thrash from side to side and then slowly but surely you will see the first piglet emerge.