Lecture 18: Swine 2 Nursing and Piglet Health Flashcards
What are the 4 things that happen during “piglet processing” that contribute to piglet health?
-Iron administration
-Clio needle teeth
-Castrate males
-Dock tails
*Analgesics are provided as per the code of practice
Explain why and how iron administration is done in piglets?
-Usually injected sometimes oral (but doesn’t absorb that well)
-Prevents anemia (sows milk is low in iron)
Why and how is clipping needle teeth done in piglets?
-Sharp teeth used when fighting for teat
-Prevents injury/disease
-Prevents/helps reduce greasy pigs which is caused by opportunistic bacteria Ince skin is cut by teeth allows bacteria to enter and create issues
-Performed on an on farm basis or as needed
Why is male castration done?
-Prevents boar taint
-Offensive odour and taste from andostenone and skatole (can also immunocastrate or slaughter before this hormone is more present)
Why is tail docking done?
-Helps reduce/prevent tail biting
-Leaving the tail long isn’t the only reason for tail butting also dominate, feed composition
What are the nursing piglet production targets? Be specific
Parameters (Targets)
-Birth weight. (1.5kg)
-Pre-weaning mortality (<10% farm level target)
-Weaning age (variable, average 21 days of age)
-Weaning weight (5-8kg/pig depending on age, litter size)
What are pre-weaning mortality targets? What are major causes?
-Targets should be <10%
Major causes:
-Management factors
*Crushing
*Chilling
*Starvation
-Disease (diarrhea is #1 CAUSE IN THIS AGE GROUP)
What is piglet crushing and how is it prevented?
-Use of farrowing crates
-Non-slip flooring under sow
-Intervention from farm staff
-Physical separation
What is piglet chilling and how is it prevented?
-Piglets ~1.5kg at birth limited fat stores
Prevention
-Provide supplemental heat, creep area
Mats in crates
-Warm up cold piglets - dry them, warming box (dry powder)
-Sow and piglet are much different in size and have different needs so balance of not causing heat stress in the sow but making sure the piglet isn’t chilling
How is piglet starvation prevented?
-Attend farrowing- make sure small/ weak-born pigs are nursing
-Split-suckle remove large pigs for short period so small pigs can nurse (can have crates to separate bigger pigs to allow smaller ones to nurse)
-Cross-fostering to ensure enough teats for number of piglets, sick sow or not milking well (disadvantage is pathogen transfer so not always recommended)
What are infectious causes of piglet diarrhea?
-Colibacllosis
-Swine enteric coronavirus diseases (SCED)
*Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE)
*Porcine epidemic Diarrhea (PED)
-Coccidiosis
Why is watching for clinical signs of diarrhea important?
-Diarrhea due to various agents begins at different times in the pigs life
-The age/timing of the easiest start of clinical signs helps to determine the causal agent
What is the agent causing Colibacillosis?
-Agent E. Coli = Escherichia coli
-E. coli are normal inhabitants of gastrointestinal track (GIT)
-Pathogenic and non-pathogenic E. coli
-Must have the pathogenic E.Coli present ex Enterotoxigenic E. coli=ETEC
-Produces Enterotoxins which cause problems
What is the pathogenesis of Colibacillosis?
-Fecal oral route of transmission, direct, fomites
-Attachment to villi of small intestine (has to have attachment to villi receptors which is genetic some pigs have it others don’t)
-Colonization of villi of small intestine
-Bacteria produce enterotoxins
-Excess fluid secretion into lumen
What are clinical signs of Colibacillosis?
-Watery to creamy diarrhea that can begin within hours of birth (<12hours of age)
-Piglets become dehydrated and weak (fluid is sequestered in GIT)
-More common in guilt litters (relating to immunity and colostrum)
-Morbidity and mortality rates can be high
