11 piglets orphaned after mother dies at O.C. Fair

The Orange County Fair welcomed 11 new family members Tuesday night.

Daisy, a blue butt or Yorkshire mix sow, gave birth to 11 pink and black piglets, according to Cynthia Haritatos, an educational program leader at Centennial Farms.

Daisy died of an unrelated seizure Wednesday morning. She was 3.

Centennial Farms staff are bottle-feeding the new little ones milk from a cow at the farm about once every hour and a half. Workers are on hand around the clock to care for the piglets, which squealed and ran around with their umbilical cords still attached Wednesday. 

The piglets may stay on the farm, go to organizations like 4H or Future Farmers of America, or be auctioned off, Haritatos said.

Daisy was the farm's longest sow tenant. Her neighbor Honeydew, 1-1/2 years old, is due July 26.

Pigs' gestation is pretty set at 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days, Haritatos said.

ALSO:

Lawsuit seeks new vote on Coliseum-USC lease deal

Cereal, cracker boxes filled with contraband, prison says

Tabloids lying about Tom Cruise and Suri, attorney claims

— Lauren Williams, Times Community News

Photos: The orphaned piglets are fed. Credit: Scott Smeltzer / Times Community News