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Jacquie's Diary Entry for 25th June 2006
Hi everyone,
It has been a very mixed week, job wise, but whatever the job the temperature during the day has been up in the thirties by just after nine and not below again until about six. This doesn't make for easy working conditions.
Monday we were holding our breath, Zapada was due Saturday, a pig gestation is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days; give or take three days. Saturday due, Sunday first day, Monday second day. It was obvious that our other pig Spot was also going to give birth this week, but we weren't so sure of the date with her. Zapada did not like her new pig run because she couldn't see what was going on, she is nosey; the whole front was altered. The planks were taken off and put back on with spaces between them. Zapada settled down and starting making her nest. A pig makes a nest type structure, chewing the straw to soften it, pushing it about with their noses and rolling it. It is quite fascinating to watch them. She wasn't going out at this stage, but if she had been allowed out, she would have collected maize stalks to add to her bed; we gave her a whole bale of straw to sort out. Spot was also given a bale of straw, but she wasn't interested. The ladies were working on my maize, it is going to be a slow process, they could only do one and a half lines today, the weed was so bad. They will work again tomorrow but then they are booked on someone else's land. John worked on the walls in the chicken house and workshop. Lew managed to contact the people dealing with the aid today and it was arranged that we would go down tomorrow to see the camps and re-assess what was needed. John was to be left in charge, with a list of instructions for feeding.
Tuesday and by quarter to seven we were on the road to Calarasi for our meeting with Daniel at nine o'clock. It was a quick meeting before we headed for the villages where the camps were situated. The storks, who take advantage of the fish in the River Danube, don't have to worry about the flooding affecting their 'housing'; they build on the top of the electricity poles 6 to 7 metres up - a feat of engineering don't you think. The road to the villages follows the River Danube; the flooding took place on the 24th April and the river is still lapping the sides of the road, covering hectares of land which should contain crops. Sand bags where evident everywhere. We spent the day talking to people affected but still in their homes and people that had to relocate to the camps. There is a great deal of information to share with you and approximately 70 pictures and I have decided to make it into a special edition for you. This will take time but we will tell you when it is available and how to access the special edition. We were just about to leave when John phoned to say Zapada had started giving birth, he could cope but he thought we should know. On the way home we took the wrong road and ended up at the Bulgarian boarder; we turned round and headed back to Constanta. By the time we arrived home Zapada had given birth to eleven little piglets, mum and babes were doing well. John and Florri, who had come to help, went home for a well earned rest. We were a little concerned with Zapada having so many as a young pig herself; Lew checked her before we went to bed and got up during the night to check them again.
Wednesday and John was back to cementing walls; having peeped in to make sure mum and babes were doing well. Zapada wouldn't eat or drink this morning but that isn't unusual we just need to keep an eye on her. Spot was very restless, she refused her breakfast, very unusual for Spot, and we were sure she would produce her babes today. John called us about three o'clock, she had gone into labour. John laughed our turn today. I texted Sian to tell her. Lew has always played midwife with our animals; he had wanted to be a vet when he was a young lad but in those days you had to have money and a good education. I kept Sian up-dated with texts between getting buckets of warm water. 'There are 2, now 4, now 6, now 8, now 10, now 12, now 13'. Here she stopped and had a rest before passing the placenta; all over except for the noise of 13 and 11 - 24 piglets, just before they feed. They were all worn out and having offered her a drink and washed her down with some warm water we left them to settle for the night. Unfortunately, Zapada lost one of her babes during the night; it happens with a large litter and there is little we can do to prevent the loss. As the weather is warm the piglets do not want added heat so they are not going to the creep area where they are less likely to be rolled on. They can't be shut in because they are feeding so often even during the night. Unfortunately we have to leave them to take their chance, they can't be watched 24 hours a day.
Thursday and the work load has increased. With the new pens comes the added job of cleaning the pen every day especially with the piglets about. Zapada and her crew were doing fine and Zapada ate a little breakfast this morning. When she has re-established a good eating habit she will be given the best of food to keep up the milk supply for the babes without taking too much from her own body. John wants us to buy feed from the feed merchant but we have been milling our own for some time now and I know what is in it and can adjust the protein in the feed according to her needs. I have researched the nutritional value of all the ingredients that make up the feed and researched the nutritional requirements for dry sows, sows 'in pig', milking sows, piglets at various ages and of course the boar (our Ninge). I don't really see the need for changing things now. The routine work still needs doing and while I was collecting weeds I noticed the weather, it looked as though we might get a bit of rain. I didn't want the rain to run straight off so I weeded the vegetable plot and disturbed the soil around the potatoes and put the hand hoe through the seed beds. Then I watered with the hose so the ground was not hard when the rain came. Sounds silly I know but I wanted any rain to be able to soak straight into the soil. We had two spells of rain but apart from my vegetable plot you wouldn't have thought we had any rain, I think it evaporated when it hit the ground. Spot was causing concern, I had been popping in and out all morning keeping my eye on her (the routine jobs taking twice as long). She hadn't had a drink since giving birth and it was hard work getting her to her feet. Her udder looked very red and she was hot. By mid afternoon we knew it was time to call the vet. But that is not so easy, John tried going to his office but he wasn't there. John wasn't sure where he lived - it is very rare for a vet to be called out for an animal. We insisted we needed a vet so John collected his Granddad who knew the vet and went to collect the Vet from his home (you have to collect him and take him back, if he is coming out). By the time the vet arrived Lew had taken Spot's temperature but it was within the normal range 38.6 - 39.5, she was 39.1. Lew thought she had gone down with mastitis; the vet confirmed it was mastitis and an antibiotic was agreed and a dose of Vitamin B. Both sets of piglets had been born with good teeth and it is normal practice to clip these so that they do not bite mum while feeding; it is also normal practice for piglets to be given a dose of iron. The vet wondered if we wanted him to do the whole lot - we wondered how much it would all cost. John said the vet wanted 200,000 old lei (£4) for Spot and her babes and 100,000 old lei (£2) for Zapada's babes. We agreed and John took the vet home for the antibiotic, Vitamin B, iron and clippers. Spot shouted at the first injection and stood up for the second, at least she was on her feet now. The little piglets squealed a great deal but they were fine. Lew gave the vet 400,000 old lei (£8) and the Vet said anytime we needed him, just to send John down. We need a Vet to come when he is needed and with the tip, that's what we have. It was just a case of leaving mums and babes quiet again. Neither Spot or Zapada ate this evening but it is very hot. Spot got up and had a drink this evening which we were pleased about.
Friday was a quiet morning for me, it was John's long weekend and Lew needed to go into town to get his Bosch drill fixed. Now I tell you its' make because he was told by the service people that because it wasn't bought in Romania they couldn't fix it. I thought a Bosch drill was a Bosch drill wherever you bought it; but not in Romania. He had to buy a new one, while he finds somewhere to fix the old one; I suspect it will have to go back with Sian at some stage. The temperature was already hot, 24C, when I took the maximum and minimum temperatures first thing this morning. While Lew was out I pottered around, keeping my eye on Spot. I cleaned out the chicken area and moved some things about clearing a space for Lew to move the workshop into so that John can cement the walls on Monday. The water has been on most of the week, in fact I have managed to have a shower twice this week, after I had finished work for the day at ten o'clock. Because we had water the tank hadn't been used much and I do like to freshen it regularly, so I attached the garden hose to the tap from the tank and let it run on the vegetable plot all day - we should have some good potatoes. Spot still hasn't eaten but she does get up for a drink and a hose down, her udder looks a better colour, so we think she will be ok. It is really hot and that could be why she doesn't want to eat - we don't eat till late and only salad type food, why should she be any different.
Saturday and breakfast was late this morning, I don't have breakfast till everyone else is fed. First is water for the ducks, then the security crew. Open up the animal house and bring Patch, who has been on security duty all night, down to the 'house', giving her a fuss on the way. Back to the animal house to open the pig doors. Then out to the rabbits to let them out and fill their water dishes. The pigs are fed first and their water changed. The mums now given special attention - any change to note - Zapada has dunged during the night, a very good sign her system is back to normal, she will need cleaning out (but not before breakfast). Then it is food for the rabbits, I take a bucket of water with me and clean out their food and water dishes; the dirty water from the bucket, waters the flower garden. The chickens and Minty are next to be fed. The ducks are fed, watered and put into their pen, it is placed on weeds that they will nibble during the day, it is small at the moment but will grow with them. Check the dog water again on the way to water the greenhouse. At last, I can stop for breakfast, home made muesli on the patio in the shade. If I am not quick I will lose the shade this morning, I spent too much time looking at piglets. It was hot and sunny first thing but as I ate breakfast the cloud came over. It didn't last long, I have been thinking about shade a great deal this week and I think we need to plant more trees round the edge of the garden, I know it is a long term solution, but that's what we are here for. Now I have said before that sometimes I can work when it is hot and sometimes I can't - today, I can't and take the afternoon off. I leave the water running on the cucumber plants.
Sunday and the temperature was already 30C this morning when I read the thermometer at 10 o'clock. I erected some more shade for the rabbits - they are becoming 'hot cross bunnies'. This morning while I was feeding I was singing along with Tim Daykin. (If you aren't a Radio Solent listener I had better explain - Reverend Tim Daykin hosts the Sunday morning Christian program 'Ancient and Modern' where hymns of all kinds are played and sung.). You might have found it amusing; the hymn says 'Be still, for the presence of the Lord is moving in this place.' I was cleaning the chicken trough singing along. But, as I have said before, my God is not confined to a church, he is with me; watching piglets, cleaning dishes, cleaning the troughs, digging the land and most definitely when I take the time to water by hand. I feel the presence of the Lord throughout the day. We need to pray for rain, but specific to this area, we have heard of more flooding due to torrential rain hitting a valley. People killed, people missing, animals killed and houses washed away. The weather is behaving very strange this year. One of the sheep herds went past us, their coats taken off; we must find someone to shear Minty - our first fleece. Doro came out of hospital today.
What's been happening in the village this week? Well the ladies have been out on the land working the rows between sunflowers and maize. School is winding down. People are watching the sky, praying that one of the clouds passing over us will drop a good downpour of rain. The vines are growing well, they are in gardens so do not go short of water.
Well I think that's all the news from Siminoc this week …
So I'll say cheerio for now …
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