Lactation failure in sows--case report

Cases of sixteen sows treated for lactation failure in piggery farms in Ibadan are reported. Fifteen of them had no complication of mastitis or mammary gland teat blockade. The fifteen uncomplicated cases responded favourably to the treatment with oxytocin (15-20 I. U. per sow). Only two cases needed second treatment with oxytocin due to poor sustenance of flow from only one treatment. Milk flow was achieved in less than 5 minutes in all the treated sows after the intramuscular injection of the drug. The only sow with accompanying acute mastitis responded favourably to procaine penicillin injection. Early diagnosis and treatment of agalactia are important in the prevention and control of baby pig mortality. The favourable response of these sow lactation failures to treatment with oxytocin, confirms the hormonal imbalance as one of the major factors to be considered in the unknown aetiology of lactation failure or failure of milk ejection reflex.