182: Chapter 182 Ten Piglets Growing Well! New Problems at the Farm

12:15 PM.

First floor, Livestock Farm.

Liao Dacheng squatted in front of the farrowing pen partition for ZM-06.

In his hand, he held a homemade clipboard covered in densely packed numbers.

Ten piglets were lined up against the sow's belly, the sound of them nursing exceptionally clear in the quiet Livestock Farm.

Ma Dong stood nearby, holding a bucket of freshly squeezed milk, waiting for Liao Dacheng's instructions.

"Old Liao, numbers four and seven are nursing less than the other eight," Ma Dong pointed to the two piglets on the outer edge.

Liao Dacheng leaned in to take a look.

"They're a bit small; their birth weight was about 0.1 kilograms lighter than the others. It's fine. Make some room for them in a better spot and move them to the front. The milk is more plentiful there."

"How do I move them?"

"Shift number six and number eight back one spot, and let four and seven take the front."

Ma Dong set down the milk bucket.

He squatted down and very gently swapped the positions of the two piglets.

The piglets let out a few tiny squeals but quickly settled down to continue nursing.

Liao Dacheng wrote a line on his clipboard.

Day 59, 08:06 to 12:15: All ten piglets nursing normally. Numbers four and seven are underweight and need monitoring; nursing positions adjusted.

He stood up and walked over to the cattle pens.

Four Holstein Cows stood in their respective stalls.

The automatic feeders were dispensing formulated feed at scheduled intervals, and the water levels in the troughs were automatically replenishing.

"How much did we get this morning?" Liao Dacheng asked Ma Dong.

"Fifty-two liters," Ma Dong replied quickly.

"Fifty-two? That's two liters more than yesterday."

"Yeah, Cow Number Three's production went up today, reaching fourteen liters on her own."

Liao Dacheng nodded.

"At this rate, we'll hit the full production capacity of sixty liters the day after tomorrow."

He pressed his communicator.

"City Lord."

"Speak," Lu Chen's voice came through the communicator.

"Piglet status report. All ten piglets are normal. Numbers four and seven are small and have had their nursing positions adjusted; the other eight are growing well. Sow ZM-06 is stable, appetite is normal, and nursing response is normal."

"When can the piglets be weaned?"

"Under the Growth Acceleration Module, they'll be weaned at twenty-one days, which is around Day 77. After weaning, they'll be moved to the Fattening Area and reach market weight in two months."

"Weaned on Day 77." Lu Chen paused on the other end.

"City Lord, is there a problem?"

"No, continue."

"Milk production reached fifty-two liters today. It's expected to hit full capacity at sixty liters the day after tomorrow. We'll keep the allocation plan you set before: Medical Pod first, Engineering Team second, and the rest to the kitchen."

"Good."

"One more thing." Liao Dacheng rubbed the feed powder off his hands.

"The due dates for ZM-07 and ZM-08 are between Day 61 and Day 63, which is the day after tomorrow or the day after that. I need to prepare farrowing pens for these two in advance. Currently, the Livestock Farm only has two farrowing partitions; ZM-06 is using one, so one isn't enough."

"What do you need?"

"I need to partition off another farrowing area. It doesn't require much material—just a few steel pipes and some wire mesh—but I need Chief Engineer Han's side to help weld two support pillars."

"Chief Engineer Han is off today."

"I know, tomorrow is fine too."

"I'll have Han Zhengqing arrange for a Welder to come down and help you tomorrow. Two support pillars—that's a half-hour job."

"That's enough."

"Anything else?"

"Yes." Liao Dacheng paused for a moment.

"Regarding the flour, the City Lord approved thirty kilograms yesterday for ZM-06's nutritional supplements. I've already mixed it into the concentrated feed proportionally, and the results are excellent. ZM-06's appetite is significantly stronger today than yesterday."

"Meaning?"

"ZM-07 and ZM-08 will need the same supplements after they give birth. Thirty kilograms each, so sixty kilograms for the two of them."

Lu Chen didn't respond immediately on the other end of the communicator.

"Sixty kilograms of flour."

"Yes, I know flour is tight. But the lactation period takes a lot out of a sow. If the nutrition can't keep up and the milk is insufficient, the piglet mortality rate will rise."

"Approved," Lu Chen answered decisively.

"Thank you, City Lord."

"Liao Dacheng, what about the Ewes?"

"The Ewes' due date is Day 63, four days from now. I checked the fetal positions yesterday; they're normal, and there's plenty of amniotic fluid. It's likely twins."

"Twins."

"Yes. If it's twins, the flock will grow from forty to forty-two. It's not a huge increase, but this is the first natural reproduction; the significance is different."

"Noted."

The communicator hung up.

Liao Dacheng tucked the clipboard under his arm and walked to the central aisle of the Livestock Farm.

The 9,600-square-meter space was maintained at a constant twenty-two degrees Celsius by the automatic climate control system. There was the scent of animals in the air, but the ventilation system kept the concentration within acceptable limits.

In the pig pens, besides the nursing ZM-06, the other twenty-nine pigs were scattered in their stalls; some were eating feed, while others were lying down asleep.

The bellies of ZM-07 and ZM-08 were visibly bulging, and their movements were much slower than the other pigs.

Liao Dacheng walked to ZM-07's stall and squatted down to check its condition.

Breathing was steady, eyes looked normal, and it had eaten two-thirds of its feed.

"Ma Dong."

"Here."

"How much of today's feed did ZM-07 eat?"

"Two-thirds, a bit more than yesterday."

"Good, an increase in appetite three days before farrowing is normal. Tomorrow, transfer it to the new farrowing pen to adapt to the environment in advance."

"Okay."

Liao Dacheng stood up and wrote another line on his clipboard.

Day 57: Appetite increased, transfer to farrowing pen tomorrow. ZM-08 to transfer the day after. Ewes are stable, awaiting delivery on Day 63.

He placed the clipboard on the console.

He sat down on a nearby stool and pulled out the Strawberry Lin Wan had just brought him from his pocket.

He had already eaten half, and the other half was still clutched in his hand.

He popped the remaining half into his mouth.

Sweet.

He hadn't tasted this flavor in thirty years.