30/06/2026
The Pig Farmer Consultant will be buying weaners around Bulawayo the first week of August.
Farmers get in contact with pictures of your 5th week lactating piglets with treacable history. The weaners need to be 8 weeks old during first week of August with a weight target of 16 - 20 kg live weight.
FARMERS ADVICE
Pen-Strep Injection: When and Why Pig Farmers Use It
If you have spent some time around pig farmers, chances are you have heard someone say, "Give it Pen-Strep."
It is one of the most commonly used injections on pig farms, but many farmers use it without fully understanding what it is meant for.
Pen-Strep is a combination of penicillin and streptomycin. It is commonly used to help fight bacterial infections in pigs.
Farmers often use it when pigs show signs of conditions such as wounds that have become infected, abscesses, certain respiratory infections, infections after injuries, and some bacterial infections that affect different parts of the body.
For example, if a pig gets injured and the wound becomes infected, Pen-Strep may be useful as part of the treatment plan. It is also commonly used when pigs develop certain bacterial infections that respond to the active ingredients in the product.
However, one important thing every farmer should understand is that not every sick pig needs Pen-Strep.
If a pig is sick because of worms, heat stress, poor nutrition, a viral disease, or poor management conditions, simply giving Pen-Strep may not solve the problem.
This is where many farmers make mistakes. They see a pig looking dull, immediately give an injection, and hope for the best without first trying to identify the actual cause of the problem.
Good treatment starts with proper diagnosis.
Another important point is that Pen-Strep should be used according to the manufacturer's instructions and withdrawal periods should always be observed before selling or slaughtering treated animals.
As farmers, it is good to have useful products available on the farm, but it is even more important to understand what they are meant for and when they should be used.
A medicine can be very useful when used correctly, but using it for the wrong problem often leads to disappointment and unnecessary expense.
