We've had three really hot days here in southwestern Ontario this week.
To that end I had some disheartening losses.
1. Peske. yesterday in the evening I said hold on girlie, you are looking poorly. Took her out and realized she was on the cusp of dying. She'd been fine earlier in the day.
Peske was pregnant. Due in another week or so. External exam gave me a soft belly, pups felt odd, head wobbly and just not a well pig at all. She would not have survived a trip to the vet.
She died. I quickly autopsied her to see if I could save her pups. I found 10 dead pups. I was stunned. 10 pups! Peske has four pups. The largest litter I've ever had was seven and that was from a LARGE sow. Peske was not a particularly large sow - not tiny, but not ex-large. Two of the pups had obviously been dead a while and had caused her I think to go septic on me. None of the pups survived. Peske died quickly and without unnecessary trauma.
On the other hand... Violet's litter of eight is doing really really well. They are ugly (in terms of showing), but healthy. :) So from a long term breeding perspective her kits will serve me better than ones from blue.