Explore all the information onSwine health
Pig diseases can be caused by bacteria, viruses, protozoa, nutritional deficiencies, poisonous substances, internal and external parasites.
Bacterial diseases include swine erysipelas, swine dysentery, infectious poly-arthritis etc. Viral and mycoplasma diseases include African swine fever, swine influenza, enzootic pneumonia of pigs, vesicular exanthema of swine, transmissible gastroenteritis etc. Helminthiasis as a health problem in pigs is mainly caused by worms like the lungworm, ascaris worm etc. Nutritional diseases include piglet anemia, parakeratosis etc. External parasitic infections include mange, lice, jiggers etc.
How to tell that a pig is in bad health:
General signs: dullness, loss of appetite, labored or rapid breathing, sudden deaths, loss of weight, low weight gain and fever usually manifested by shivering of the pig.
Signs expressed on the skin: reddening of the skin or skin discoloration, loss of hair and hardening of some parts of the skin, itching and cracking of the skin.
Other signs: lameness, cough, abnormal nasal discharges, diarrhea with a putrid smell, abnormal content and color of feces and abortions.
INTRODUCTION Mycotoxins are substances that occur naturally in the environment (1, 2). In addition to mycoestrogens such as zearalenone (3, 4), selected trichothecenes, including DON and/or its metabolites (but in vitro), can affect steroidogenesis (2) and changes in gene expression, which suggests that these compounds could disrupt hormonal homeostasis (1). Deoxynivalenol (DON), a polar organic compound produced mainly by Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum (5), is...
Introduction: Tail lesions are outcomes of tail biting behaviour and reflective of impaired welfare in pigs. It is possible that tail biting is associated with other behavioural problems such as ear- or flank biting. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of carcass tail lesions to reflect other behavioural problems on farms and thereby act as an ‘iceberg indicator’ for pig welfare. Materials and Methods: Welfare...
Kimberly VanderWaal (University of Minnesota) comments on the use of sequence data by veterinarians, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Kimberly VanderWaal (University of Minnesota) comments on RFLP types and differentiation of viruses, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Brett Ramirez (Iowa State University) highlights the importance of ventilation maintenance and information, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Brett Ramirez (Iowa State University) explains different aspects of ventilation and its costs, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Chris Parks (Cargill) comments on recent research and the effect of lower levels of mycotoxin in the feed, during this Swine It interview with host Laura Greiner....
Introduction Some authors understand antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as an imminent “tragedy of the commons” (1), of anthropogenic nature and analogous to climate change in terms of its challenges (1–3). Although the resistance process is a natural defense mechanism of bacteria, it can be intensified by the misuse of antibiotics both in humans and animals. Inappropriate use of antibiotics (AMU) in human health is a powerful inducer of AMR. However, about 73% of the...
1. Introduction Observational, technical, and analytical skills are necessary for veterinary physicians [1,2]. For professional praxis, for instance, observation as well as pattern recognition skills within the environment are important for detecting and treating relevant diseases and conditions [3,4]. Moreover, these skills are relevant as the environment, along with demographic factors, influences animal health [5]. Recognizing patterns in nature is crucial for proposing novel...
Andrea Bonetti (University of Bologna) At weaning, pigs develop significant stress with long-lasting effects on their performance and health. Botanicals include a wide variety of bioactive molecules able to control inflammation and oxidation. The aim of the study was to investigate the ability of a microencapsulated thymol-based blend of botanicals (BOT) to support piglets’ performance and health during an LPS inflammatory challenge. To examine...
Caroline González-Vega (Cargill) This study was conducted to investigate the effects of medium-chain fatty acid blend (MCFA) and a phytogenic feed additive (Fresta® Protect, Delacon, Austria) on growth performance and gut health of Escherichia coli (ETEC)-challenged pigs. A total of 200 weaned pigs with initial body weight of 5.52 ± 0.17 kg were allotted to 40 pens (5 pigs/pen) blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 5 treatments: (1)...
Nick Gallina (Purdue University) Background: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are the primary perpetrators of colibacillosis in piglets, resulting in mortality and agribusiness economic woes. ETEC expressing fimbrial antigens, F4 and F18, are the predominant contributors to colibacillosis. F4 is most prevalent in neonatal diarrhea. F18 is more common in post-weaning colibacillosis. Intestinal epithelial interaction and...
Brian Aldridge (University of Illinois) Biological health is a complex topic of discussion and is often misunderstood as existing as a binary state in terms of the presence or absence of disease. In many ways, it is useful to explain health at a population or system level as the existence of individuals in 1 of 3 states: those in a healthy condition, those with a prediseased status, and those in a diseased state. At a systems level, it is useful to...
Dan Grum (Purina Animal Nutrition) Tail docking of pigs is banned in many countries based on animal welfare concerns. An unintended consequence of the ban can result in the loss of tail integrity from bacterial pathogens causing inflammation, lesions, and necrosis which impacts pig welfare and results in significant monetary losses. Tail docking is used in many countries as a preventive measure; however, in these countries, an intact tail is a...
Andrea Bonetti (University of Bologna) gives a presentation on botanicals and their impact on inflammation and oxidation, during the 11th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals in St. Louis, USA....
Brian Aldridge (University of Illinois) shares insights on homeostasis and focusing on the host rather than the disease, during the 11th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals in St. Louis, USA....
Dan Grum (Purina Animal Nutrition) talks about tail docking in pigs, and presents studies on the microbial community of inflamed and necrotic tails, as well as the possible use of direct-fed microbials for this issue, during the 11th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals in St. Louis, USA....
Nick Gallina (Purdue University) speaks on serotypes of E. coli in pigs, and presents studies aimed at developing more effective mitigation measures using cell models, during the 11th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals in St. Louis, USA....
Caroline González-Vega (Cargill) presents research on the effects of a medium-chain fatty acid blend and a phytogenic feed additive on growth performance and gut health of Escherichia coli-challenged pigs, during the 11th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals in St. Louis, USA....
The United States Department of Agriculture reported that sow mortality ranges from 2.5% to 3.7% each year, depending on herd size 1 . It also was stated that annual mortality rates of sows in typical confined-sow herds should not exceed 3% 2 . In contrast, some sow herds experience annual losses of at least 10% of inventoried females 3-6 . The reasons for sow mortality are poorly understood; however, larger herd size, greater parity, and short lactation length...