Porcine Health Management

Progesterone level can be used to determine precise moment of the reproductive cycle in gilts/ sows. Reproductive cycle has a folicular and luteal phase (high levels of progesterone). During luteal phase, progesterone level increases until day 12-14 when the luteal corpus (LC) become sensitive to PGF2α and progesterone level decreases in 48h just until the next estrus. Prepuberty gilts just around heat, have very low progesterone levels; 24-48h post-heat progesterone levels are high and remain high for at least 15-18 days indicating LC presence; finally 24-48h prior to heat progesterone levels drop very quickly again. The objective of this study is to demonstrate under field conditions how a commercial kit Ovu-check® can help establish whether a group of gilts that have not manifested consistent heat symptoms had cycled or not.

The lower prolificacy of the Iberian sows breed (IS) can be due to a lower ovulation rate, a lower percentage of fertilization, a lower implantation rate. The limited uterine space for embryo implantation would justify the greater embryonic losses.

Brachyspira pilosicoli is the etiologic agent of porcine colonic spirochetosis, a diarrheal disease in growing pigs. Colitis associated with Brachyspira pilosicoli is less severe than swine dysentery caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, however, antimicrobial therapy is needed on some farms to treat diarrhea in weaners and in young finishing pigs. According to principles of prudent use of antimicrobials, only effective drugs should be used.

Streptococcus suis is a gram positive bacterium that causes arthritis and fatal meningitis in young pigs. Currently, 35 different serotypes have been identified and serotype 2 is most commonly associated with the disease in the U.S. Serotyping results from isolates sent to diagnostic laboratories for testing are often non-typeable or ambiguous using current methods. In the present study, we used next generation sequencing to identify the serotype of several isolates.

Porcine contagious pleuropneumonia caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) remains one of the major causes of poor growth performance in pig herds. After recovering from the acute phase, pigs often become carriers harbouring the pathogen in tonsils, nares and chronic lung lesions. While most of the literature focuses on the role of the humoral response in attenuating the occurrence of acute symptoms, the porcine T-cell response to APP has been poorly characterised so far.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is among the diseases with the highest economic impact in pig production worldwide. Losses due to the disease were estimated as high as 560 Mio. US$ per year in the USA. Yet, the economic impact of the disease at farm level is not well understood as, especially in pig herds chronically infected with PRRS virus, the losses caused are often not obvious for farmers and veterinarians

Trimming long toes has become a topic of interest for improving sow retention and herd productivity. However, there is limited scientific evidence that trimming long toes in commercial sow farms results in improved productivity and therefore is economically justified. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effects of trimming long toes, overgrown heels and long dewclaws on sows and the impact this has on longevity and productivity to determine economic return.

Biosecurity is a key element of good farming practice and considered important to prevent disease spread within and between pig herds. Increased prevalence of disease in a pig herd usually results in decreased productivity and increased use of antimicrobials. One prevention strategy is to increase the focus on biosecurity. However, how effective is this?

Diarrhoea during the first week of life is a big concern in many Danish pig herds - not least since the suspected introduction of “New Neonatal Diarrhoea Syndrome.” The study investigates pathogens and management-factors associated with these problems.

Abattoir surveillance data is an important tool for disease monitoring and the detection of animal welfare conditions. The Northern Ireland voluntary pig health scheme, co-ordinated by Pig Regen, has recorded the presence of macroscopic lesions detected in the pluck and on the skin of slaughter pigs since 2005.

Two strains (U.S. prototype [P] and S-INDEL-variant [V]) of PEDV are currently circulating in the U.S. Pathogenesis comparison of the two strains in 5-day-old pigs showed that the V-strain was less virulent than the P-strain. However, PEDV pathogenicity is age dependent. Also, understanding the cross-protection between two strains is imperative for PEDV vaccine development. In the current study, the pathogenesis difference and the cross-protection efficacy between the two U.S. PEDV strains were evaluated in weaned pigs.

Besides PMWS (Post Weaning Multi-systemic Syndrome) or PCVD-systemic disease, PCV2 is also involved in many subclinical infections. In addition, PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) infection results in a negative effect on performance. PCV2 and Mhyo vaccinations are an efficient tool to reduce mortality, lesions, viremia and to improve growth.

Production improvements in the global swine industry have been partly produced by increasing selection for hyperprolific sows, resulting in larger litter sizes while also increasing the variation in piglet birthweight. This has increased the number of small and/or undersized piglets, which have been exposed to differing degrees of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Most IUGR piglets are classified as being of low birth weight, however, there is large variation in weight of both non-IUGR and IUGR piglets.

The influence of feed structure and pelleting on the development of gastric ulcers in pigs is well established. Some studies have shown a beneficial effect of access to straw on gastric health. However, the role of other factors, e.g. disease and stress, is not well understood. The aim of this study was to identify herd factors associated with a high prevalence of gastric ulcers in finishing pigs.