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Swine or Pig Management – Part 1 of 3
| By pinoyfarmer | August 2, 2007 |  |
How to use this manual
This is one of four manuals on traditional animal health care practices (or “ethnoveterinary medicine”) in tropical Asia. The manuals were compiled during a participatory workshop held at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in July 1994. The four manuals cover swine, poultry, ruminants (cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats) and general information. For details, see the General information manual.
The topics in this manual have been broadly presented to include the whole spectrum of “conditions” which a field practitioner may encounter in the care and management of livestock.
Topics which describe a disease or condition present the following information:
Symptoms key symptom(s) by which the disease can be identified.
Causes primary cause(s) of the disease.
Prevention appropriate preventive measure(s) to avoid disease onset.
Treatment a detailed description of the treatment(s).
The treatments list the ingredients by their botanical (or Latin) name and a common English name. For some commonly known species (e.g., garlic, ginger, coconut, banana. guava), only the Enalish name may appear in the text. The General information manual contains a complete list of plants named in the four manuals.
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The treatments or remedies which require multiple ingredients are presented in a step-by-step “recipe” format which lists all ingredients to be used and describes how to prepare them. See the General information manual for details on how to prepare remedies such as fomentations, poultices and decoctions. Many remedies which require only a single ingredient are presented in tables. Each remedy is identified by the “.” mark; where several remedies are presented, the choice of the remedy is left to the user.
After each treatment, the countries in tropical Asia where the treatment is practiced (as validated by the workshop group or through references) are presented in boldface parentheses. Immediately after the names of the countries is a series of numbers that reflect the validation criteria used in the workshop:
1. Workshop participants agreed that the treatment would be useful.
2. Treatment is widely used in a region or a country (some remedies were also validated against practices from outside Asia).
3. Workshop participants had first-hand knowledge of the remedy’s use on-farm.
4. Traditional healers are known to use the remedy.
5. The remedy is cited in the literature in one of two ways: (1) it is used to treat the same problem in humans or another animal species; or (2) this plant has proven pharmacological activity to treat the problem in question. For instance, laboratory tests have shown that Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) leaf extract is effective against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in vitro (Syat 1990). This tends to support the use of tobacco leaves in treating wounds.
6. The remedy has been scientifically validated as effective to treat the problem in the livestock species in question. Relevant references are given under the corresponding plant name in the Glossary of medicinal plants in the General information manual.
Dosages and preparation methods in indigenous practice are often imprecise and vary widely between individuals and regions. The dosages and methods given are those that, according to the professional judgement and experience of the workshop participants, are most suitable, are easy to prepare and are likely to be effective. The workshop participants and IIRR have made every attempt to ensure that the remedies are effective and are not harmful. However, they cannot guarantee this or be held liable for problems arising from these practices.
Unless noted to the contrary, all dosage quantities for treatments are for single dosage applications; in other words, each treatment should be prepared at the time of application according to the quantities specified. Dosages for treatments in swine are usually given in terms of live body weight (a simple calculation procedure for estimating live body weight for all species is explained in the Estimating live weight of animals section).
Where possible, simple measurements (handful, cup, etc.) have been given for ease of use by field practitioners. The General information manual contains a guide to commonly used weights and measures. More detailed measure meets (milliliters, etc.) are also given to allow a practitioner to be as precise as the particular conditions may allow.
All references used in this manual are listed in the References section in the General information manual.
Lack of appetite
Lack of appetite
Symptoms
- Feed is left uneaten.
- Animals are inactive.
Cause
- Pain.
- Fever from infection.
- Stress.
- Severe incidence of parasites, such as intestinal worms or lice.
- Mouth wounds.
If none of these is the problem, something is wrong with the feed. Change the feed type.
Prevention
- Avoid abrupt changes in feed mixtures and rations.
- Deworm regularly (see Internal parasites, page 17).
- Maintain hygiene and sanitation.
- Provide good housing (see Housing, page 48).
- Vaccinate regularly against common diseases in the area.
Treatment
- Pour 1/2 cup of cane molasses on 1 kg of the animal’s regular feed ration. Divide this into 3 parts. Feed 23 times a day for 2-3 days.
Instead of molasses, you can add 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or 2 tablespoons of fish sauce on 1 kg of the regular feed ration. Divide this into 3 parts. Feed 2-3 times a day for 2-3 days.(Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- Mix 3 fresh (raw) eggs with 1/2 cup of molasses. Drench the mixture 2-3 times a day for 2 days. (Indonesia, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Give a small bundle of fresh sweet-potato tops as feed, 23 times a day for 2 days.(Cambodia, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 teaspoon of dried seeds of Trachyspermum ami and pound. Force-feed 1-2 teaspoons of the mixture 2-3 times a day for 23 days.(India, Philippines. 1, 2, 3)
- 2 g 1/2 teaspoon) of powder from each of the following dried plants: Swertia chirata (whole plant); Alstonia scholaris (bark, leaf and stem); and ginger (rhizome).
- 0.75 g (1/4 teaspoon) of powder from each OF THE following dried plants: Picrorhiza kurrooa (roots); Veronica anthelmentica (leaf, seed or whole plant); Trachyspermum ami (seeds); Peucadenum graveolens (seeds); Trigonella foenum-graecum (seeds); and Brassica nigra (seeds).
A pinch of salt. A pinch of baking soda.
Mix all ingredients. Force-feed 3-5 g (I teaspoon) of the mixture twice a day. Treat the animal for 5-6 days or until it regains its appetite. The effectiveness of the mixture will not be affected if 2-3 of the plants mentioned are not available. (India. 1, 2, 3)
Fever
Fever
Symptoms
- Pigs are inactive.
- Animals are frequently thirsty and shivering.
- Animals are constipated.
Touch the neck or the base of the ears to feel the animal’s body heat. If the body temperature of the animal is higher than usual, the animal has fever.
Causes
Fever can result from many types of infections or injuries.
Reminder
Very high fever can be dangerous to the pig and it almost always results in death. Cool down the animal immediately using the treatments discussed in this section.
Prevention
- Ensure proper ventilation through adequate housing.
- Keep surroundings clean.
- Vaccinate animals against common diseases in the area.
Treatment
Note: These treatments can help reduce the fever but do not cure the disease that causes it.
- Heat (not boil) 1.2 liter (500 ml) of vinegar in an earthen pot for three minutes. Moisten a clean cloth with lukewarm vinegar and gently rub it or. the whole body. Repeat the application every 20 minutes until the fever subsides or when necessary. The warm vinegar gradually enlarges the skin pores and helps release the body heat. (Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Dissolve 2 handfuls of table salt in 5 liters of water. Moisten a clean cloth in the solution and gently rub it over the whole body. Repeat application until the fever subsides. (India. 1, 2, 3, 4)
Other treatments for fever are given in the table on the next page.
Treatment for fever
Scientific name | Common name | Parts used | Preparation | Dosage | Application |
| Blumea balsamifera | Fresh or dried leaves | Pound 10 leaves. Extract juice. | 2 teaspoons of juice | Drench 3 times a day until fever subsides. (Cambodia, India, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,) | |
| Citrus madurensis | Fresh leaves | Boil 2 handfuls of leaves in 2 liters of water. | Bathe the animal. (Cambodia, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,) | ||
| Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Hibiscus | Fresh leaves and flowers | Pound 1 kg of leaves and 1 kg of flowers. Mix with water. | Enough for a 60-kg pig | Apply gently all over the body until fever subsides (Cambodia, India, Philippines, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 5,) |
| Picrorhiza kurrooa | Dried roots | Boil 10 9 of roots in 1 liter of water. | 10 ml | Drench twice a day for 2 days. (India 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,) | |
| Swertia chirata | Fresh whole plant | Boil 10 9 of plant in 1 liter of water | 10 ml | Drench twice a day for 2 days. (India. 1, 2, 3) |
 |
Coughs and colds
Coughs and colds
Symptoms
- Coughing.
- Runny, wet nose.
- Difficult, rapid breathing.
- Yellowish discharge from nose.
Causes
- Infection, such as pneumonia.
- Internal parasites, especially lungworms.
- Changes in weather.
- Irritation to inside of throat caused by coarse feeds, such as rice bran.
Prevention
- Keep animal’s pen dry and clean.
- Moisten fine feed mixtures (especially rice bran) before feeding animals.
- Provide a sheltered area for animals (see Housing, page 48).
- Regularly deworm (see Internal parasites, page 17).
- When giving a drench, apply the drench in a proper manner (see Application of herbal medicine in General information).
Treatment
- Pound and press the fresh fruit of Diospyros mollis and extract 100 ml (or 1 small Coke bottle) of juice. Mix the juice with 50 ml of honey. Drench the sick animal (1 ml or 1/4 teaspoon for each 5 kg of bodyweight) each morning for 2-3 days. Or, the mixture can be mixed with a small amount of feed and fed once a day for 2-3 days (same quantities as for the drench). This treatment will help ease coughs due to parasites. (Cambodia, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- 4 teaspoons Albizzia myriophylla bark. 4 teaspoons Tamarindus indica, mature fruit. 4 teaspoons Acacia rugata pods, grilled over a fire until soft. 10 g salt..
Mix the four ingredients with 3 liters of water. Boil them until only 2 liters are left. Cool and strain. Give one liter of the strained fluid to the sick animal as a drench each morning for 2-3 days. Or, mix it in the animal’s feed as described above. This treatment will help remedy coughs and colds due to infections.
(Philippines, Thailand. 1, 3, 4, 5)
Diarrhea and dehydration
Diarrhea and dehydration
Symptoms
- Watery feces.
- Profuse yellowish feces
- Feces have a foul odor.
- Blood in feces.
- Dehydration.
—Very dry nose.
—Animal urinates less than normal.
—Skin is slack. Softly pinch the skin and pull it. Then let go. If the piglet is not dehydrated, the skin will snap back into place.
—Animal twitches uncontrollably (in late stage).
Causes
- Internal parasites.
- Bacteria.
- Virus.
- Digestive problems due to sudden change in diet.
- Eating unclean feed.
Diarrhea can result from poor sanitation. It can occur during any season and can affect pigs of all ages, but especially strikes newborn piglets up to 30 days old. The piglet becomes thin and too weak to stand up or suckle and finally it dies.
In young pigs, an abrupt change in the diet can cause diarrhea. This is called “baby pig scours”. If an animal’s diarrhea comes and goes, it might be caused by internal parasites. If the runny feces are flecked with blood and the animal is losing weight and strength, then the problem might be swine dysentery, which usually strikes when the pig weighs between 60 and 70 kg.
Diarrhea, excessive urination, vomiting and/or fever can lead to dehydration and death in young pigs.
Prevention
- Keep pens, feed and water troughs clean.
- Separate affected animals from healthy animals.
- Avoid stress on young pigs by keeping their feed schedule regular and by providing shelter.
- If the diet of animal must be changed, make the change gradually.
Treatments
Use any of the following remedies.
For diarrhea
- Wild ginger rhizome (Zingiber zerumbet) Clove, roots and bark of Eugenia caryophyllus Fresh pomegranate leaves (Punica granatum) Opium (poppy) gum from fruit (Papaver somniferum)
Common ginger rhizome (Zingiber cassumunar) Limestone (one thumb-sized piece)
(If available, a root nodule of a plant known as “Krasarn” in Thailand can also be included).
Dry the plant ingredients and grind each into a fine powder. Mix equal amounts (1 teaspoon) of each powder. Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to a 1-liter mixture of water and powdered limestone. Boil the resulting mixture and let it cool. Drench the affected piglets with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the mixture twice a day (in the morning and evening) for 2-3 days.(Thailand. 1, 3, 4)
- Boil 1 kg of fresh Punica granatum (pomegranate) leaves and stems in 3 liters of water until 2 liters remain. Drench the affected animal with 1/2 liter of the cooled fluid, including plant material, 3 times a day for 2-5 days.(Cambodia, Philippines. 1,2, 3, 4)
- Boil 1 kg of fresh Psidium gunjava (guava) leaves in 3 liters of water until 2 liters remain. Cool and strain the fluid. Drench the affected animal with 1/2 liter, 3 times a day for 2-3 days. In Indochina, the mature fruits of the native guava are also used in a similar preparation to treat diarrhea.(Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Boil 1/2 kg of fresh Chrysophyllum cainito (star apple) leaves in 1 liter of water. Drench animal with 1 cup of the strained, cool fluid 3 times a day for 1-3 days.(Cambodia, Philippines. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- Carbonize the husk and shell of 1 mature coconut. (Do this by partially burning them in a fire. Put out the fire when the husk and shell are in full blaze.) Grind the carbonized coconut material into a powder and mix it thoroughly with 1 liter of clean water. Drench the affected animal with 1 cup of the mixture, 3 times a day for 2 days. (Cambodia. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Carbonize and grind rice (see above). Mix five teaspoons of the powder and one teaspoon of honey in 1/2 liter of clean water. Drench the affected animal 3 times a day 1/2 liter each time) for 3-5 days.(Cambodia, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4)
For dehydration
- Prepare an oral rehydration treatment by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 teaspoons of sugar in 1 liter of clean water. Give 1/2 liter as a drench, 3 times a day for 3-5 days.(Widely practiced throughout Asia. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Dissolve 3 handfuls of unrefined brown sugar and 5 teaspoons of salt in the water from 3 young coconuts. Drench 3 times a day until the animal is cured.(Cambodia. Philippines, Thailand. 1. 2. 3. 4)
Constipation
Constipation
Symptoms
- Animal has difficulty defecating.
- Feces are hard, dry, brittle and occasionally streaked with fresh blood.
- Lack of appetite.
Causes
- Diet contains either no fiber or too much fiber.
- Lack of exercise.
- Pain in the anus
- Excessive calcium in the diet (too much bone meal, eggshells, limestone, shells, etc., in the feed).
- Injury or fracture in the pelvis or hindquarters.
Prevention
- Provide drinking water at all times, especially during the hot season.
- Provide sufficient space for animal to exercise.
- Provide fresh, green vegetables daily.
- Avoid stress to the animal
Treatment
For simple constipation, any of the following treatments may be used.
- Split a ripe tamarind (Tamarindus indica) pod in half. Remove the pulp and seeds. Roll up the pod and insert into the anus as a suppository (part will stick out of the anus). Repeat every 6 hours for 2-3 days or until the animal becomes unconstipated.(Cambodia, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Feed 2-3 small bundles of fresh leaves of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) or Amaranthus gracilis or Amaranthus spinosus or swamp cabbage (Ipomoca aquatica) 2-3 times a day for 3 days.(Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- Drench 1 tablespoon of castor oil (Ricinus communis) 2 times a day for 1-3 days. Drench 1 cup of water after the castor oil drench. Also, soybean oil or sesame oil can be used. (Cambodia, Thailand. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Prepare a decoction of one ripe papaya (Carica papaya) fruit and 1 liter of water. Drench 2 times a day until the pig recovers. (Cambodia. 1, 2, 3, 4)
- Shape a small piece of mild bar soap into a small suppository. Dip it into water and insert into the anus. Repeat treatment 12 hours later, if necessary.(Cambodia. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Poisoning
Poisoning
Symptoms
- Arched back.
- Salivation.
- Animals staggers or sways.
- Fever.
- Weakness.
- Bleeding from the mouth.
Causes
- Eating poisonous plants.
- Eating grass from pastures treated with insecticides.
- Being fed with fresh, raw cassava roots or cassava peels.
- Eating old and moldy feed.
- Bites from snakes, scorpions or centipedes.
Prevention
- After applying insecticides to an area, do not release animals in the area to eat.
- Keep feed dry and free from mold.
- Avoid feeding raw cassava peels and roots.
Treatment
- If an animal shows symptoms of poisoning after eating cassava peels, drench it with coconut oil (about 1 glass for an adult pig). This facilitates the expulsion of the peels and decreases the absorption of poisonous materials. (Philippines. 1, 2, 3)
- If you do not know the cause of the poisoning, mix 56 fresh, raw eggs with 1 cup of sugar and drench the animal. The dosage is for a 70-kg pig.
Related Posts:
Swine or Pig Management – Part 2
Swine or Pig Management – Part 3
Source: Ethnoveterinary Medicine in Asia : Swine (IIRR, 1994, 72 p.)
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