SWINE HEALTH
Dr. Randy Harp
Herd Health Problems
► Biosecurity
 External biosecurity
 Internal biosecurity
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
► Attitude
 “State of Mind”
 Unforgiving attitude required because disease
is unforgiving
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Establish
Herd Health Goals
 Healthy, productive system that can be
maintained
 Type of production system
 Facility location
 Health status of start-up herd
 Cost
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Keeping out new diseases
►Isolation/acclimatization (incoming stock)
 Separate facility > 200 yards from herd
 45 – 60 days
 First 30 days (isolation)
 Animals observed and blood tested
 PRRS, PRV, brucellosis, TGE
 Parvo, Swine Influenza
 Last 30 days (acclimatization)
 Vaccinate for Lepto, Erysiplas, Parvo
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Keeping out new diseases
►Isolation/acclimatization
(incoming stock) cont.
 Animals exposed to cull sows
 Allow opportunity to build immunity
 Donor herd health should be compared closely to that of
the recipient herd
 Administer vaccine as indicated by recipient herd
 Limit use of antibiotics
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Keeping out new diseases
►Semen
 Know isolation/acclimatization of boar stud
 Adequate disease monitoring program for boar stud
 Procedures for boar stud should be as strict as those for
production units
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Restrict access to visitors & create barriers
►Perimeter
fence
►Padlock all outside doors
►Use signs
►Require “clean out” time for visitors
►Shower in / shower out
►Provide clothing and boots
►Sanitize all incoming equipment
►Feed trucks limited
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Develop and enforce strict chute rules
►Trucks
with manure should be excused
►Load outs designed to prevent entry
►Establish sacred zones (off limit to trucks)
►Guillotine gate
►Boots should be provided for drivers
►Clean, disinfect, and dry the landout
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Keep out other species of animals and insects
►Rodents,
birds, dogs, cats, flies
►All can transmit diseases
►Rats and flies can travel two miles
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► External
Biosecurity
 Locate new production
units away from other
pigs
► Distance
between swine
production units
► Pig density
► Probability of other pigs
coming to area
Pathogen
Minimum distance
to prevent
transmission
Mycoplasma
pneumonia
2 miles
TGE
.5 miles
Atrophic rhinitis
.5 miles
Strep suis
2 miles
Pseudorabies
5 miles
PRRS
???
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Internal
Biosecurity
 Adopt optimum production system design
►All-in
/ all-out
►Multiple-site production
►SEW (segregated early weaning)
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Internal
Biosecurity
 Install barriers
►Perimeter
►Bird
fence
wire
►Tree line
►Dead animal disposal
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Internal
Biosecurity
 Sanitization
►Decontaminate
rooms between groups
►Use high pressure spray, rinse all surfaces, disinfect,
dry, leave vacant
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Vaccination
Program
 Leptospirosis, parvovirus, erysiplas 2x/year
 TGE, PRRS, Atrophic rhinitis, strep suis & ??
 Design with veterinarian
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Internal
and External Parasite Control
 All incoming breeding stock should be treated
 Use fecal and skin monitoring
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Slaughter
Checks
 Quarterly checks
►Liver
and lung lesions
►Nasal turbinates
 Only portion of herd need to be tested
►>
140 animals need 11 animals
►> 1,000 animals need 29 animals
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Monitoring
 Quarterly sampling for PRV and brucellosis for
seedstock herds
 Serological testing for other diseased known to
be in area
 Feed testing for mycotoxins
Development of a Biosecurity Plan
cont.
► Feed
additives
 Growth promotant antibiotics
Alternative Disease
Control Procedures
Alternative Disease Control
Procedures
► Closed
herd
 Specific pathogen free (SPF)
 Non SPF
► Isolation
of incoming breeding stock
Alternative Disease Control
Procedures
► Systems
management
 Multiple site production system
 All-in / all-out
 Segregated early weaning (SEW)
► No
control
Specific Pathogen Free
(SPF)
Specific Pathogen Free (SPF)
► SPF
is an attempt to
 Control diseases
 Improve management
Specific Pathogen Free (SPF)
► Initially
set up to control
 Atrophic rhinitis
 Mycoplasma hyoneumonia
Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) cont.
► Now
designed to eliminate & prevent certain
chronic growth retarding diseases







Mange
Lice
Swine dysentery
Atrophic rhinitis
Mycoplasma pneumonia
Pseudorabies
Brucellosis
SPF scheme
► Sow
– 112 to 114 days (C-section)
► Take pigs from sow, put in sterile
environment
► Rear in isolation
► Restock other farms
 SPF
pigs no immunological control,
introduce to other pigs
SPF classification
► Primary
SPF
 pigs from C-section
► Secondary
SPF
 Pigs from primary SPF or
 Pigs from other SPF farms
Accreditation Requirements
► Proof
of origin
► Brucellosis validation
► Pseudorabies validation
► Herd inspection from veterinarian
 Free of:
►lice
/ mange
►Swine dysentery
Accreditation Requirements cont.
► Quarterly
health and disease reports
► Submit quarterly litter registration
► Quarterly slaughter checks (10 head)
 Atrophic rhinitis
 Mycoplasma hyopneumonia
Scour Diseases
TGE (Transmissible gastroenteritis)
► Cause
- corona virus
► Symptoms
pigs
- major cause of death in young
 Baby pigs
►Sudden
vomiting
►Watery, yellowish diarrhea
►Odor
►90% death loss < 14 days old
TGE (Transmissible gastroenteritis)
cont.
► Symptoms
cont.
 Older pigs
► Appetite
loss
► Diarrhea (mild)
► Control




/ Prevention
Vaccine
Good sanitation
Bird and rodent control
Management
E. Coli (colibacillosis)
► Cause
– bacteria
► Symptoms





Pale, yellow, watery diarrhea
Dehydration
Edema- produced by toxin of E. Coli
Swollen eyelids, stomach
Nervous signs
► Staggering,
head tilting, paddling, stumbling, dog sitting
E. Coli cont.
► Control
/ Prevention
 Sanitation
 Management
 vaccination
Swine Dysentery
► Cause
– bacteria (sepulina hyodysenteriae)
► Symptoms




Stool contains blood and mucus
Dehydration
Poor gain and efficiency
Some cases, death
Swine Dysentery cont.
► Control





/ Prevention
Management
Sanitation
Antibiotics
Vaccine
Control mice which harbor bacteria for 1 year
Rotavirus
► Cause
– virus
► Symptoms
– nursing pigs (about 3 weeks old)
 White, pasty scours
 Generally do not lose much weight
► Control
/ Prevention
 Management
 Sanitation
 Vaccine (antibiotics not effective)
Coccidiosis
► Cause
– protozoa shed in feces
► Symptoms
– nursing pigs (7 - 10 days old)
 Diarrhea – yellow, light green / gray
 Dehydration
► Control
/ Prevention
 Manure removal (it is shed in feces)
 Management (wash sows before entering farrowing
house)
 sanitation
Salmonella
► Cause
– bacteria
► Symptoms
 Acute septicemia (generalized infection of blood and
organs)
 Diarrhea
 Anorexia
 Fever, cough
 Ears, nose, tail, feet,& abdomen become light purple
 Nervous disorders
► Posterior
weakness, paddling, restlessness
Salmonella cont.
► Control






/ Prevention
Antibacterials for treatment
Removal of affected pigs
Management
Sanitation
Vaccine
Carrier pigs are indistinguishable from other
pigs
Reproductive Diseases
Brucellosis
► Cause
– brucella suis, bacteria
► Clinical




Signs
Fever – 5-7 days
Abortion – any time during gestation
Weak pigs at birth
Genital tract infections & sterility
Brucellosis cont.
► Diagnosis
 Blood agglutination test
► Prevention
 Herd testing
►Initial
test
►Retain validation
 Retest all breeding stock annually
 Test 20% of sows annually – cull sows
Brucellosis cont.
► Prevention
cont.
 Introduce only negative animals into herd
 Vaccination is unsuccessful

Under SPF, must be brucellosis free
Leptospirosis
► Cause
 Numerous organisms – bacteria
 Transferable across species
► Symptoms
 Fever, diarrhea
 Abortions – late gestation
 Immature pigs
Leptospirosis cont.
► Prevention
 Vaccination once every 6 months is effective
 Use 5 way vaccine at weaning
 Blood test in not effective

SPF requires vaccination
Parvovirus
 Cause – virus
 Symptoms
►Embryonic
& fetal deaths
►Mummified feti
►Small litters
►Infrequent abortion
►Delayed return to estrus
►Anestrus
Parvovirus cont.
► Prevention
/ Control
 Vaccination
Pseudorabies (Aujesky’s disease)
► Cause
– herpes virus
► Symptoms
 Young pigs
►90%
death loss in 3 -4 week olds
►40% death loss in 12 week olds
 Older pigs > 50 lbs.
►Low
death rates
►Respiratory distress
Pseudorabies (Aujesky’s disease)
cont.
► Symptoms
cont.
 Sows
► Abortion
– early gestation
► Retention of fetus – late gestation
► Death of entire litter in 1 – 2 days
 General signs
► Fever
► Convulsions
& trembling
► Ear infection
► Off feed
► Diarrhea
Pseudorabies (Aujesky’s disease)
cont.
► Diagnosis
 Blood test
► Vaccination
 Modified live virus
 Produces positive blood test
Pseudorabies (Aujesky’s disease)
cont.
► Control
rules
 Must have permit before entry
 Must have passed blood test in last 30 days or
be from PRV free herd
► Eradication
 Effort underway to eradicate PRV from the US
Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS)
► Cause
– virus
► Prevalence
– 80 – 90% of swine in OK test
positive (LUCE)
► Transmission
– animal to animal
Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS) cont.
► Clinical




signs
Breeding females
Fever – increased stillborns
Depression – weak, liveborn pigs
Abortions – preweaning mortality
Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS) cont.
 Nursery pigs
►Rapid,
labored breathing
►Poor performance
 Finishing pigs
►Fever
►Depression
►Off
feed
Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS) cont.
► Control
 Vaccination
 Depopulation / repopulation
 Multiple site production
Erysipelas
► Cause
– bacteria
► Symptoms
 Fever
 Abortion
 Diamond shaped lesions on skin
► Control
/ Prevention
 Penicillin
 Vaccination
Streptococcus Suis
► Cause
– bacteria
► Symptoms
 Weaned pigs
► Meningitis
► Anorexia
► Reddening
of skin
► Nervous disorders – loss of balance, paddling, shaking,
convulsions
► Blindness & deafness
► If serious, can lead to “greasy pig”
Streptococcus Suis cont.
► Symptoms
cont.
 Breeding herd
► Decreased
conception rates
► Decreased farrowing rate
► Vaginal discharge
 Pneumonia
► Treatment
/ Control
 Penicillin
 Management – reduce stress, ventilation, humidity
 Vaccine
Respiratory Diseases
Mycoplasma Hyopneumonia
► Cause
– mycoplasma hyopneumonia
bacteria
 Infectious respiratory disease of swine
► Prevalence
– 80 – 90% of US swine herds
► Transmission
– animal to animal contact
Mycoplasma Hyopneumonia cont.
► Clinical




signs
Sneezing
Dry cough
Listlessness
Poor growth performance
► Economic
Losses
 Death loss
 Reduced feed efficiency 10 – 30%

gain
Mycoplasma Hyopneumonia cont.
► Treatment
► Control
– antibiotics – Lincomycin
– depopulation
 Can live with it with good management, i.e. no
stress, good nutrition
Actinobacillus Pleuropneumonia
► Cause
– bacteria
► Transmission – pig to pig contact
► Clinical signs




Sudden death 20 – 40%
High fever
Loss of appetite (anorexia)
Lesions on lungs of growing swine
Actinobacillus Pleuropneumonia cont.
► Control




Vaccine
Good herd health
Antibiotics
Management (all-in / all-out, age segregation)
Atrophic Rhinitis
► Cause
 Bordetella bacteria
 Pasturella bacteria
► Transmission
 Pig to pig contact
Atrophic Rhinitis cont.
► Clinical
signs
►Affects
nasal turbinate bone development
►Early sign in baby pigs
►Sneezing
►Distortion of nose
►Pneumonia
►Black areas around eyes
Atrophic Rhinitis cont.
► Control
►Vaccination
►Depopulation
►antibiotics
– only way to completely get rid of
Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex
(PRDC)
► Cause
– both viral & bacterial pathogens
 Primary bacterial pathogens
► Mycoplasma
hyopneumonia
► Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia
 Secondary bacterial pathogens
► Pasturella
multocida
► Strep
suis
► Salmonella

Usually a combination of PRRS, swine flu, PRV, & PRCV
Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex
(PRDC) cont.
► Symptoms








Acute depression
Anorexia
Fever
Nasal discharge
Coughing, labored breathing
Increased mortality
Reduced F/G
Increased days to market
Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex
(PRDC) cont.
► Prevention
/ Control
 Management (AI – AO, SEW, multi-site)
 Strict biosecurity
 Vaccination for 1° and 2° pathogens
Anthelmintics
► Ivomec
► Dectomax
► Atguard
► Pyrantel
Tartrate
► Fenbendazole (Safeguard/Panacur)
► Piperazine
► Levisole
► Banmith