Swine Management

Watch the Clock: When Does a Farrowing Sow Need Your Help?

By Fratel Farm Team  โ€ข  October 2, 2026  โ€ข  2 min read
Newborn piglets nursing beside a sow in a farrowing pen

Sometimes we notice many piglets "born dead" which were actually alive when farrowing started. They died because the birth took too long and nobody noticed. ๐Ÿ˜”

Knowing what a normal farrowing looks like, and when to step in, can save several piglets per litter.

โœ… What normal looks like:

  1. 1
    First 4 pigletswithin about 2 hours
  2. 2
    Early on,a piglet about every 40 minutes
  3. 3
    After the 4th piglet,about every 20 minutes
โš ๏ธ More than 1 hour with no new piglet = warning sign!
Bar chart: stillborn percentage rises from 2.7% when farrowing takes under 2 hours to 27.3% when it takes over 8 hours
Stillbirth risk according to total farrowing time (N = 3,924 piglets). The longer the birth, the more piglets are lost.
๐Ÿ‘€ Check the sow every 20โ€“30 minutes and write down the time each piglet is born.

๐Ÿšจ Step in if trained or call your vet when:

  1. An hour passes with no piglet
  2. The sow is straining, or has stopped straining too early
  3. She shows red eyes, fast breathing or distress
๐Ÿงค Only assist if trained: Ensure to clean hands, clean glove, lubricant, and be gentle.
๐Ÿ’ก An hour of your time can be worth 3 more live piglets!

๐Ÿ’ฌ Do you watch your sows during farrowing? Share below ๐Ÿ‘‡

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