I agree. I ferment the food for the feeders, boars, and the sows. I know malnutrition can result from the fermentation process, so I’m thinking lactating sows need to go on non fermented feed. Fermentation is a new process for me so blaming the new behavior on that makes some sense. I have two sows due in the next two months. Hopefully no more cannibalism. The remaining five piglets are ok so far, though she is far from a doting mother. She doesn’t lay down to accommodate them, just stands at the shelter door. I think she is agitated by the isolation, but days old piglets in a herd never ends well, particularly with the wet cold weather we’re having lately. The researched reasons are diverse, this is her third litter. I’ve had to cull before because older sows seem to just get done reproducing and abandon the litter, but most times three times is ok, four not so much.

Not Brie with sliced sour apples?

It’s a small farrowing pen with a shelter. She’s accustomed to free range foraging. I’ve read it can be boredom or even resentment. Pigs are smarter and more complex than most people think. If I release them, the five day old piglets will certainly die from exposure. If I don’t, she will likely kill and eat the rest of them. She’s in a food surplus situation so I doubt it’s hunger motivated. This is new to me, and I’ve been raising pigs on and off for fifty years.

My first experience with livestock savagery. A sow had 13 piglets. Four died almost immediately, torrential rain and the seemingly inevitable step or roll crushing death. We saved two with bottle feeding and the nine seemed fine. The mother has now decided to kill and eat her piglets. I have read about the reasons this can happen, unfortunately weather doesn’t permit more room for escape, and aside from bottle feeding the remaining five every two hours around the clock, something I don’t have the time to do, I see few options here but to cull the sow. Anyone else have experiences with this in swine? It’s upsetting and unsettling. #homesteading #livestock #swine #pigs

I am assuredly less busy, but very well indeed. Thank you so much for asking! 🫂

Indeed. Without being creepily intuitive, how are you Marie?

Personally, I love fermented grapes.

Ok, I have a few thoughts about you, and lactobacillus. The organism doesn’t love lactic acid, it is a protective waste product. You are fairly intelligent, but my opinion is that you need to focus on quality over quantity. You are young and highly motivated, but take the time to acquire a handhold on the information you procure.

Thank you.

Sorry, but this isn’t correct. Lactose is broken down by an enzyme, lactase, which many animals only produce until milk consumption is no longer necessary. Lactobacillus is an anaerobic bacteria that dies in the presence of oxygen. It is maintained in the human vagina, using maltose secretions, where it helps to maintain a protective acidic pH. I suppose we should all consume more vaginal secretions?! 😂

This is my experience as well. It seems to be that moderate dietary biases, with preferences for meat and fat with veggies results in wellness. Extremism takes benefits and effectively converts them into liabilities over time.

My understanding is that lactobacillus is not self maintaining in the gut, making constant reintroduction through consumption necessary. Bring on the sauerkraut!

Big. Rocks.

Thank you for the discovery journey. I’ll share what I find. Now I’m curious, as we have had this CO2 discussion under a different topic in the past.

No need to get snippy. Just looking at the pages of my university botany texts in my mind forty years past the endeavor. 😁 I could find a textual explanation, but I don’t think you are interested?

Disagree a bit here, low light causes the plant cells to swell and elongate. This is the process that causes the leaves on stems to turn toward the light, the lit side cells are shorter than the shaded side cells. When the stalk elongates evenly, it means both stem cell sides are elongating to push the leaves further toward the light source.

It’s COLD in there?

An artist!

The only explanation I can think of is that the catalytic converter is collecting the burned oil residue. If that is the case it will eventually clog and the power, efficiency, and eventually the ability to run will be impacted. At that mileage it is likely ring wear causing the oil loss. Generally I don’t recommend additives, but what do you have to lose? I’d try a Rislone or STP oil consumption additive.

Same, propaganda was difficult to distribute in the past, now everyone literally has a stream of leaflets in their hand or pockets, along with all the features of the telescreens and ministry of truth, listening, watching, and slowly replacing history with curated content. It is somewhat terrifying to me. People also have unprecedented abilities to communicate so hopefully the masses prevail. Time will tell.