Growing pigs - getting the best from them

Question 1

What are the aims of the finishing period?

Answer 1

• Maximise growth
• Maximise efficiency

Question 2

What is assesed?

Answer 2

• Carcass weight
• Grading
• Condemnations
• Growth rates
• Feed consumption

Question 3

What makes a pig fit to travel?

Answer 3

• Pigs must be able to load and unload themselves
• Pigs must be able to support their weight on all four legs
• Pigs must have no open wounds

Specific groups not to travel
- piglets <3wks
- sows <1wk farrowed
- sows > 100d in pig

Question 4

What are typical clinical signs of Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex?

Answer 4

Coughing
sneezing
Dyspnoea
Cyanosis
Pyrexia

Question 5

What are Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex?

Answer 5

• Enzootic pneumonia
• PCV2
• Glassers
• PAsteurella multocida
• PRRSV
• APP
• Swine influenza

Question 6

What is enzootic pneumonia?

Answer 6

• Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae
• 6-8wks incubation
• interstitial pneumonia + bronchiolar cuffing + mucocilliary escalator damage
• Secondary infections
• decreased growth
• Tx = antibiotics

Question 7

What is the main effect of the European subtype 1 of porcine reproductive + respiratory syndrome virus?

Answer 7

• Reproductive
• Immunosuppression = secondary infections

Question 8

What is Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae? APP

Answer 8

• Once in a herd = persistent
• Can be chronic
• Acute = pigs suddenly dead
• cough, pyrexic + lethargy, bloody nares

Question 9

What is Tx of APP?

Answer 9

• Often too late in an outbreak
• Penicillins

Question 10

What is swine dysentery?

Answer 10

• Brachyspira hyodysenteriae
• Ulcerative colitis / typhylocolitis
• Slow growth, poor feed efficiency + Death
• Characteristic smell, mucohaemorrhagic scour, lethargy

Question 11

What are Ddx for swine dysentery?

Answer 11

• Lawsonia - porcine haemorrhagic enteritis
• Severe colitis
• Ulceration
• Trichuris
• CSF / ASF

Question 12

How is swine dysentery treated?

Answer 12

• Ab resitiance
• Hygiene
  = elimination

Question 13

What is spirochaetal colitis?

Answer 13

• Brachyspira pilosicoli
• mild colitis = commensal
• mixed infection with lawsonia / salmonella
  = grey faeces
• Tx = nutrition

Question 14

What is porcine haemorrhagic enteropathy?

Answer 14

• Lawsonia intracellularis
• Thickened distal ileum = malabsorption of intestinal content
• Food coloured scour
• Poor growth
• rotten blood smell
• Sudden death

Question 15

What is treatment of PHE?

Answer 15

• Macrolides - tylosin
• Vaccination

Question 16

What can ascaris suum cause? Tx?

Answer 16

• Not usually a problem clinically
• Can cause respiratory issues as part of PRDC
• Milk spot liver on slaughter
• Decreased growth rates
• Tx = benzimidazoles + avermectins

Question 17

How is whipworm treated?

Answer 17

• Trichuris suis
• Repeated worming at high doses
• Hygiene

Question 18

What is seen with gastric ulceration?

Answer 18

• Common in fast growing pigs
• Melaena
• Sudden death
• Pale carcass
• Clotted blood in GIT
• Ulcers

Question 19

What is seen with gastro-intestinal volvulus?

Answer 19

• Very quick progression to death
• Swollen carcass
• pale

Question 20

What is seen with erysipelas? Tx? Px?

Answer 20

• Peracute = found dead + septicaemic carcass
• Acute = highly pyerxic, lethargy, raised skin lesions (diamond)
• Chronic = endocarditis, very stiff lameness
• Tx = penicillin
• Px = vaccination - 6 weeks post weaning

Question 21

What are common lameness issues?

Answer 21

• Trauma - fractures, dislocations, joint damage, OCD
• Infections
• Mycoplasma hyosynoviae - Tx = lincomycin

Question 22

What are vice problems?

Answer 22

• Biting of - tail, flank, ears, vulva, anus
• Frustration, stress, overstocking, draughts, disease
• Usually need to euthanise