Can 5-week-old piglets eat solid food, be weaned, and get vaccines?

Question

Can I give my5 weeks old piglets a regular food now? Can they take vaccine? And if so, what kind will be recommended? Lady, can I separate them from their mother now?

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

It would be more helpful if you could tell us what type of piglets they are and what you are planning to use them for. I will do my best with the information I have. Piglets can be weaned from their mother anywhere between 3 and 5 weeks of age so I would say yours are ready to be weaned. Yes, they can eat regular food now. The type, scope and amount of vaccines for your piglets depend upon several factors. Pathogens that exist in some parts of the country/world, necessitating vaccines against them, may not exist where you live, obviating the need for those vaccines. Another consideration is whether or not your pig lives solo or with a large herd of other pigs, because communicable diseases should be vaccinated against in the case of the latter. Vaccinations are usually started at 1 week of age. Vaccinations should include rhinitis (bordetella), erysipelas, mycoplasma and pneumonia. At the age of 3 weeks, piglets should be vaccinated against circovirus, a common swine virus found in pigs all over the world that can lead to death. At 4 weeks of age, piglets should get boosters for rhinitis and erysipelas and also be vaccinated against mycoplasma pneumonia and actinobacillus pleropneumonia. Finally, at the age of 8 weeks, piglets should be vaccinated against the parasite that causes Glasser's disease, as well as polyserositis. These vaccines are what we do in the United States. I am not sure what swine vaccines are needed in Liberia. You need to contact a local veterinarian so they can help you. Best wishes.

Can 5-week-old piglets eat solid food, be weaned, and get vaccines?

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