Porcine Health Management

Sometimes a vaccination strategy that you recommended did not present the expected results? It can be frustrating when you did an excellent veterinary work, with accurate diagnostics, proper selection of vaccine and vaccination program, and in the end it didn´t work. In our practice we evaluated vaccination success and failure in over 50 farms for several diseases (Aujeszky´s, PCV2, MHYO, PRRS and Bordetella) and found that this is highly influenced by the PEOPLE that manage on-farm vaccination procedures. We implemented a program (Plan.Explain.Demonstrate.Register.Audit.) to improve vaccination success involving Vets, farm managers and workers.  

Influenza A virus (IAV) is known to persist in swine breeding herds. The herd level prevalence of IAV and within herd prevalence of IAV antibodies in US swine herds is poorly understood.   Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 28-mixed parity herds (inventory >2000) from 7 states were enrolled. A 73-question survey identified herd characteristics and management practices. Three to five day old piglets were sampled in three separate cohorts at monthly intervals. Each consisted of 2 pigs from 24 litters (n=48) stratified over three dam parity groups. Antibodies in serum against IAV were detected with three assays: 1) NP ELISA assay (NP), 2) Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) assay against H1N1 (H1) and 3) an HI assay against H3N2 (H3).

Coughing pigs are a common complaint that producers report and veterinarians make recommendations to address.  The measurement of cough is subjective, e.g. “better or worse”, or categorical, e.g. mild, moderate or severe, which makes the assessment of an intervention based on cough challenging.  In 2016, a free, app-based tool was published by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Gmbh to make the measurement of cough more standardized and objective in a production setting.  The tool is a Cough Index Calculator and results in a cough index score. 

PRRS control needs a global approach to be successful. At farm level, identifying the critical points which contribute to maintain PRRS virus circulation is crucial. To list these points a dedicated questionnaire has been used in 53 French farms as part of the 5-Steps® approach. The objective of this work is to give a summary of the results obtained. Material & Methods From July 2015 to June 2017, 53 farms with a project of PRRS control were investigated. During these visits a questionnaire consisting in 4 parts (external and internal biosecurity, management and hygiene) giving 62 questions was performed.

The impact of PRRS on sow and pig performance can be reduced by use of vaccination. This study aimed to investigate sow and pig performance after implementation of a whole herd vaccination programme on a farm in Serbia.   Material & Methods The study was conducted on a multi-site farm with 1250 sows on a farrow-to-feeder site and 2 separate finishing units.

PCV2 plays an important role in porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) and viremia in late fattening pigs contributes to extended lung lesions, reduced daily weight gains and increased antibiotic use. The following investigation was conducted to show efficacy of an intradermal PCV2-vaccine on production parameters after an acute PCV2 infection under field conditions in Germany.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus is one of the most challenging diseases in pigs. Vaccination (IM and ID) against PRRS has been established as an important tool to minimize the clinical impact of the diseases. The impact of a strategic piglet PRRS vaccination with IDAL on standard production parameters and general herd health status was investigated.

In addition to PRRS, Influenza and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae also have a regional impact. Regional programs often fail due to a lack of funding. Structural Implementation of technical-, financial- and antibiotic use parameters (KPI’s) can stimulate the intrinsic motivation of farmers to keep participating. Two vet-practices and MSD-AH implemented a regional swine health-program in a pig dense region. The above KPI’s and disease prevalence are monitored.  

The objective of this field study was to evaluate the placement of bait station and the application of rodenticides at a swine farm facility that has dealt with uncontrolled, high populations of rats and mice. The facility faces the challenge of having a feed mill plant in near proximity. Material & Methods Two problem barns were chosen for evaluation of a new protocol (Barn 30 and Barn 31).

Large data volumes can no longer be analyzed using conventional methods; they have to be made usable by applying new methods. So far, such methods have not had much impact on animal husbandry. Swiss pig production differs from the intensive production systems in other European countries because of its complex, small-scale structure.

Introduction Escherichia coli (EC) is a primary pathogen involved in neonatal diarrhea (ND). ND occurs when the protection granted by maternally derived antibodies (MDA) is overwhelmed by a high bacterial challenge of the piglets. The objective of this study was to assess the levels of EC antibodies (ab) induced by two commercially available vaccines in sows.

Piglet vaccination against Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) can play a very important role in the control of this disease. Here we document the impact of a PRRS piglet vaccination implementation under commercial conditions in the UK with PRRS clinically present. <strong>Material & Methods</strong> PRRS virus circulation was confirmed with serology and PCR.

Addition of crude fibres-CF in the sow diet has beneficial effects on the gut health; however, the effects on metabolism are not clear. This field study investigated the effects of Arbocel^® (raw CF concentrate made from lignocellulose with a CF content>65%) on sow’s metabolism and performance.

Eradication of <i>Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae</i> (Mhp) from breeding herds has become a popular method in U.S. production systems to improve downstream performance. However, there are no guidelines available to confirm success of an eradication program. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop diagnostic sampling guidelines specific to Mhp low prevalence populations.  

The objective of this study was to characterize the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) colonization and seroconversion pattern in negative gilts, which had been recently introduced to three positive farms. Materials: Farms practiced different types of replacement gilts’ flow. Two of the three farms (A and B) practiced continuous flow, where gilts were co-housed with older gilts exhibiting coughing immediately post-entry, and shared the same air space, regardless of age.