Leg  position in gilts

See the pictures: Here are the good and bad leg positions for the gilts.

An increased replacement rate in the sow team is a costly affair, and it is therefore important to invest in gilts that have an optimal leg position and healthy hoofs.

The primary cause of killing or slaughtering the sows is various leg problems where treatment and relief have not been enough.

These forced releases are less fun to deal with, compared to voluntary releases of sows where productivity is no longer good enough.

Gilts typically have lower productivity than 2nd-5th. lay sows, and the gilts piglets often also have a poorer immune system due to fewer antibodies transmitted through the milk.

A frequent introduction of new cages to the sow team also further pressures the herd's immunity.

GUIDELINES FOR RIGHT POSITION

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If the body weight is not evenly distributed across all four legs and the clefts, there may be side effects in the form of pressure, tendon disorders and inflammatory conditions.

We recommend  that the gilts with not be selected if they have:

* Clover pointing inward

* Curved knees

* No matter the length of the hoofs

* Long hives

* Wheeledness

* Rigid, straight hind legs

* Weak codes and bent hocks

It will also be an advantage to be able to view the clefts up close and see how they look down below.

There may be cleft lesions or dorsal horns, which can become a major problem later on when the paw becomes part of the sowing team.

However, this is rarely practicable to perform in the herds. It is mainly leg position, movement and the immediate appearance of the hoof that can be seen.

PREVENTION

If there are problems with the bone clothing of the animals in the herd, it is obvious to have a look at the pigs' local environment and the feed.

Moist and dirty floors are risk factors when it comes to poor cleft health.

The flooring also matters. Plastic grates and deep bedding wear too little on the hooves, while a surface that is worn and rough can wear too much on the hooves.

Other risk factors include broken fixtures, such as broken slots, and bolts and nuts that protrude above floor level.

Various feed companies say that the micro minerals copper and zinc have an impact on the health of the hoof. Lack of zinc can cause cracks in the hoof wall and decrease healing after lesions.

Copper, on the other hand, affects the horn formation and hardness of the clefts, which have an effect on the durability and resistance.

Biotin is a vitamin that is also believed to have a beneficial effect on the strength of the hoof.

Therefore, there are some feeding parameters that are worth looking into if better cleft health is needed at the gates.

An inappropriate leg position may be congenital and therefore not preventable. However, other crooked leg positions may be due to cleft disorders where the animal changes its weight distribution to relieve a damaged and sore area.