Pigs - herd health, diagnostics + biosecurity

Question 1

What should be done when doing herd health investigation?

Answer 1

• Follow pattern
• Take notes
• Ask concise questions
• Follow up with exam of group/individuals to get full picture
• Leave what’s working as it is
• Majority of problems = mismanagement

Question 2

What to do previsit?

Answer 2

• Establish purpose of visit
• Understand ground rules - biosecurity
• Look at some records

Question 3

What to do on visit?

Answer 3

• Gain history of areas from staff/owner
• Overall feel / appearance
• Examine pigs - evenness, issues, vice, muck, listen
• Check nutrition, hospital pens, vaccines/medicines
• Sample as required
• Follow pattern - e.g. youngest to oldest

Question 4

What should be done post visit?

Answer 4

• Report back any diagnostic results
• Write a report

Question 5

Where would you take blood samples from?

Answer 5

• Jugular / cranial vena cava - holding is the important job
• Tail vein - not used often
• Ear vein - only to prick
  Make sure pig is standing + straight - not sitting in dog position
• 1-1.5inch needle (2inch needle for adults)

Question 6

How many samples should you take if over 100 pigs?

Answer 6

• 30 samples

Question 7

What needs to be done when doing post mortems?

Answer 7

• Do more than 1 PM
• Take enough samples
• Choose sensible candidate - showing signs but not chronic
• Look for post mortem changes
• Make sure you conclusions match history / clinical exam
• Need to do a post mortem methodologically - so nothing is missed
• SHARP KNIFE

Question 8

What are the biggest threats in the UK

Answer 8

1. Current UK endemic diseases - e.g.. dysentery
2. ASF
3. Vesicular disease
4. Porcine epidemic diarrhoea
5. Notifiable diseases