PSA on castrating piglets......

[dmbenson]

We had a litter of AGH a month ago with 5 males - so needed to castrate the males (except for one that's being sold as a boar).

I've done it before, and it's not normally a big deal (takes two people though - one to hold, one to cut), so I penned the 4 boys we were cutting, got my disposable scalpels, disinfectant, Blue-Kote spray and Husband and set to work. I'd noticed a couple of weeks ago that one of the little boys was 'lopsided' - left side was twice the size of the other, but didn't really think too much about it, other than knowing that I would neither sell, nor reserve, him as a breeding boar. All went well until I got to the lopsided boy.

Right side came out no problem - left side when I cut and pressed, spit out his bladder which promptly broke, followed by several loops of intestines. Apparently he had a hernia which I didn't know. I ran to the house for the 22 while Husband held him, and put him down immediately - but boy did I feel horrible.

I won't cut pigs again without suture/staple equipment on hand (even though in this case it wouldn't have done any good - not after his bladder broke), nor will I EVER cut a pig with uneven testes - I'll plan on processing as a small roaster instead.

I know he was destined for the freezer, I know he didn't suffer more than a couple of minutes, I know I probably couldn't have known - but I feel like I should have somehow. Like I failed him because I didn't research or study or question enough..... Sometimes I kind of don't like myself too much...

All the other boys are doing great however, which is a good thing.

[Deleted]

Accidents happen, and you had no way of knowing ahead of time. You reacted properly, and humanely ended his suffering. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take it as a learning experience, and move on ahead. You won't make the same mistake again, and by posting, may save another pig owner from suffering this fiasco as well. You're a good farmer.

[serendipity]

^^^Perfectly said.

[westxgrl13]

I agree--you couldn't have known. It could have been an injury that caused one side to swell. There was no way for you to tell that it was herniated. I am glad you dispatched him so quickly, but what a horrific moment when everything came bursting forth! Give yourself and your husband a high-five for rectifying the problem as fast as possible!

[simplynaturalfarm]

We were warned about the boar we got that close linebreeding to sows he had hoped were far enough away in genetics resulted in 3 litters with hernias. He just gave him to us because he knew I was married to a vet and could "fix" the hernias while castrating, whereas he had to pay the vet to castrate for him.

Are yours closely related by any chance?

I don't think it is a big deal for us but out of 36 piglets we did get one that was like yours but we'd seen him lopsided since birth and Dh just had to fix the hernia. I can feel for you - that is an awful feeling!

[Deleted]

Oh what a terrible experience! We had a hernia pig born at the end of April. I noticed him being uneven and didn't cut him. I decided to try and grow him out to see what that would be like. His "extra" would go down after he defecated, so I knew what was going on and kept close tabs on him. He grew like a gilt and I slaughtered him here two weeks ago for a bachelor party my husband went to. The hole in the peritoneum was about an inch and a half when I butchered him. Very interesting. I don't think I'll try to raise another hernia pig should one be born, I'll just eat him as soon as I notice.

[dmbenson]

Sept 4, 2016 20:23:21 GMT -5 @zoogirl said:

Accidents happen, and you had no way of knowing ahead of time. You reacted properly, and humanely ended his suffering. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take it as a learning experience, and move on ahead. You won't make the same mistake again, and by posting, may save another pig owner from suffering this fiasco as well. You're a good farmer.

Thank you for saying that and I am moving on (and will castrate the next litter just fine when the time comes ). I just hate it that "my" learning experience cost a baby his life.... My husband says I have an over developed (Please no one take offense) "Jewish Mama" sense of guilt over things.

That's one of the reasons I posted this - I'd never read anything about it - or what to watch for, or what might happen, which is why it came as such a shock to me. Nothing I've ever watched or read (and believe you me, I do a lot of research before I try something like this) suggested such a thing....

[Deleted]

I have heard of it in horses, but not in pigs before. Definitely a learning experience for a lot of us.

[Deleted]

You can't always tell. Some signs to look for are uneven size between the sides of the scrotum and an inability to feel each testicle. If you have a doubt about a pig you can squeeze them a bit (like a big hug) to increase abdominal pressure, if there is a hernia sometimes that can cause it to temporarily get bigger. But really, you can't always tell.

[MaggieGal]

dmbenson I am very sorry this happened to you and the little pig. I'm glad you shared your experience however so we can all learn from it. We are thinking of getting some pigs and may try raising just a few.

I believe that the angst you went through with this experience is what makes a farmer a Good farmer. If the experience hadn't bothered you, that's when I would be concerned.

[midwifejoyce]

Sept 5, 2016 11:15:04 GMT -5 MaggieGal said:

dmbenson I am very sorry this happened to you and the little pig. I'm glad you shared your experience however so we can all learn from it. We are thinking of getting some pigs and may try raising just a few.

I believe that the angst you went through with this experience is what makes a farmer a Good farmer. If the experience hadn't bothered you, that's when I would be concerned.

I agree completely! Remember it's ok to have regret, don't have guilt! You did an awesome job under the circumstances. 

[gjhinesjr]

I totally understand. While I have never castrated, I had a kill shot go wrong last winter.

I was trying to cull some 16-ish week old piglets. They were a bit jumpy, but I took my time, and I swear she turned her head at the last second. I made the X on the forehead, but the bullet went right through the top jaw, and exited out the bottom of her chin. She got super skittish afterward, and I put her down about 7 seconds later. But the image of that poor girl bleeding through the mouth, screaming in pain, after having done nothing wrong, still haunts me to this day. I almost threw in the towel on farming right there.

Like others have said though. We all make mistakes. You did what you could, as soon as you could. You'll learn from it, and be better because of it. Accidents happen. The fact that it hit you so hard, proves you have the type of character you need to farm, IMO.

[Nonesuch Melissa]

I've got an AGH piglet right now with a visible hernia. I'd already decided not to try to cut him. Plan to butcher him as a suckling piglet when he hits about 25/30 pounds live weight. It's the most humane thing to do with them as those big hernias can cause trouble even if you don't cut them. I don't know that I'd try to suture up an animal with no anesthesia... too squirmy...

Sorry you went through that.

[simplynaturalfarm]

I think DH did lidocaine, but don't quote me on ours. I had held 16 piglets that were already to big (we always procrastinate on this) and had 17 left to go, we were in a black hoophouse and it was 92 degrees outside the hoophouse and no wind inside, flies and mosquitoes eating me alive and DH warning me "DON"T MOVE!"