Field study to assess the economic benefit of vaccination with SUISENG® on a Portuguese farm

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the economic benefit and improved yield of groups of gilts vaccinated with SUISENG®, on a farm with a high prevalence of neonatal diarrhoea caused by E.coli/Clostridium.

49 clinically healthy, PRRSV-positive and ADV-negative gilts were selected on a farm with 800 sows, and divided into 4 groups, 2 vaccinated (V1 n=13; V2 n=12) and 2 not vaccinated (NV1 n=12; NV2 n=12) in alternating chronological order. The recommended vaccination protocol for SUISENG® was used for the vaccinated group.

In order to assess the economic benefit of vaccination with SUISENG®, the number of piglets born alive and the number of animals weaned at the end of lactation were recorded by group and by sow; also recorded were the mortality rate during lactation and the weights of all the piglets at birth and at weaning, thus giving the ADG (average daily gains), by group and by animal.

The animals which received antibiotic treatment because of diarrhoea, and the cost of this, were also recorded. From all this, the economic benefit of vaccination with SUISENG® was assessed on the basis of the decrease in mortality rate, increased ADG, treatments given and the cost of vaccination.

With regard to piglets born alive, no statistically significant differences were recorded; with regard to the number of weaned piglets, there were statistically significant differences between the vaccinated group of 268 piglets and the non-vaccinated group of 139 piglets, with mortality rates of 4.3% (12 piglets - caused by crushing and handling) and 47.5% (126 piglets - all the piglets showed clinical signs of diarrhoea at necropsy) respectively.

With regard to average weights, no statistically significant differences were recorded at birth, but were recorded at weaning (27 days) with 7.809 kg for the vaccinated group compared to 7.385 kg for the non-vaccinated group, with ADG of 250 g and 202 g respectively.

In addition, the non-vaccinated group were affected with diarrhoea and all the piglets were treated with amoxicillin+colistin i.e. an increase of 0.33 Euros per weaned piglet. In contrast, litters from the vaccinated groups did not suffer from diarrhoea and there was merely an increase in the production cost of 0.27 Euros per weaned piglet as a result of sow vaccination with SUISENG®.

The economic benefit of vaccination with SUISENG® was demonstrated, not only because of the cost of losses caused by neonatal diarrhoea, but also because of the increased cost resulting from antibiotic treatment of animals from non-vaccinated groups. The cost at the end of lactation was therefore reduced and the efficacy of vaccination with SUISENG® was demonstrated.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.