*A few of my pigs have vomited within the past few days, what could be causing this?

Cause: Pigs are able to vomit fairly readily. If vomit is occasionally seen in a group of pigs, it is of little concern. However, it is important to be able to recognize vomit from diarrhea because there are different causes and treatments for each condition. The color and texture of vomit is more similar to the feed the pig is eating than the appearance of diarrhea. Also, diarrhea will be spread around the pen and on the pen walls while vomit is usually in one spot on the floor. Pigs may vomit due to consumption of hair from ingesting feed and hair off the backs of other pigs in a drop-feeding situation, this is harmless and doesn?t require treatment.

Along with showing other signs, pigs that are eating moldy feed may vomit. The pigs in the image on your screen show classic signs of mold consumption. They are showing an uneven growth rate, swollen vulvas and vomiting. Another cause of vomiting is gastric ulcers. Pigs that are pale and have obvious blood loss from a bleeding gastric ulcer should be moved to the hospital pen and treated for gastric ulcers.

Treatment: Ensure feed is mold-free. Treat vomiting caused by gastric ulcers in a hospital pen. There is no specific treatment for ulcers, but pigs do better if fed a high milk diet such as a first stage nursery feed. If ulcers are more than an occasional occurrence, it may be useful to increase the particle size of feed given to the herd. Adding fiber to feed may help prevent ulcers too. Also, make sure that feed intake is adequate and uninterrupted.