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Little-known sapovirus causes diarrhea in baby pigs
A couple of puzzling cases of diarrhea in baby pigs that didn’t test positive for the usual culprits were recently identified through genome sequencing as a porcine sapovirus.
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Well-developed gilts create foundational success
For replacement gilts to be successful, the farm needs a well-established, well-managed and continually maintained plan, said Joel Sparks, DVM, with AMVC in Audubon, Iowa.
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Five ways to get weaned pigs off to a good start
Getting pigs off to a good start is both an art and science, and even under the best of circumstances it can be challenging. It’s even more difficult this year due to COVID-19.
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Late-weaned, parity-1 sows benefit from skipped cycle
Gilts entering a farrowing room face some big demands for animals still maturing while supporting their first litters. Skipping a breeding cycle can let these sows put on weight and become more...
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Virus persistence challenges PRRS management strategies
Eliminating porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) from pigs might not yet be possible, but monitoring tools could help refine a herd's PRRSV stability.
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Evaluating risk factors for umbilical defects
On the farm, swine caregivers tend to lump umbilical hernias and umbilical abscesses under the single category of umbilical defects. What are the risk factors for these defects?
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Rethinking colostrum management and piglet survivability
Colostrum is vital to piglet survival but managing intake may benefit from some fresh thinking, according to Kara Stewart, associate professor of animal science at Purdue University.
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Strep suis continuously challenges US herds
It’s not unrealistic to say that if you checked the nasal cavities or tonsils of any group of pigs, you would find Strep suis. It is on virtually every hog farm.
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Parasites persist in hog production, especially in niche markets
Environmentally controlled hog facilities eliminated most swine parasites. But Ascaris suum (roundworm) continues to persevere on some conventional farms and frequently on farms for niche markets....
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Connor: Innovation driven by necessity and opportunity
The pork industry has had a tremendous number of innovations over the years, said Joe Connor, DVM. Connor, who serves as a consultant within Carthage Veterinary Services, is a pioneer in pig...
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Rate of PCV2 recombination not widely recognized
TOOLBOX, Issue 16: An interview with Meggan Bandrick, DVM, PhD Associate Director, Global Biologics Research, Zoetis
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How to reduce wean-to-finish mortality: Part 2 — Implement your plans
In Part 2 of this two-part series, Ryan Strobel, DVM, and Chris Sievers, DVM, with the Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota, share implementation strategies to lower wean-to-finish mortality rates.
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How to reduce wean-to-finish mortality: Part 1 — Plan your strategies
High wean-to-finish mortality continues to trouble the pork industry. While lowering rates is possible, it’s not easy.
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Inadequate iron supplements lead to subclinical anemia in young pigs
A field trial evaluating iron supplementation for baby pigs found the typical 200 mg iron shot at birth is not enough.
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Committing time, attention to pig’s first 24 hours key to health, uniformity
The farrowing room is a demanding place — one that needs to accommodate the divergent needs of a 500+-pound sow and her 10, 15 or 20 piglets weighing anywhere from 1.5 to 3 pounds.
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Pen-side diagnostic comparisons for nursed-off sows and fallback pigs
For both the sow and piglet, an animal that does not perform to its potential or falls behind its counterparts will negatively impact the sow farm’s productivity and profitability.
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Watch your Strep: Keep your guard up for this evolving bacterium
Few things remain the same for long on a hog farm. By the very nature of today’s production system, pigs are continuously moving on or off a site. One thing that remains constant is Strep suis.
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Inadequate iron supplements cause subclinical anemia in weaned pigs
The standard 200 mg iron shot for baby pigs at processing may not be enough iron to last until weaning.
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Ellis: No magic bullet to reduce pre-wean mortality
Pre-wean mortality has increased over the last 15 years, and it’s a major concern for US pork producers and veterinarians.
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8 key factors drive success when raising pigs without antibiotics
Producers need to recognize there will always be health challenges when raising pigs without antibiotics. The goal is to resolve those challenges as they arise.
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Lowering pre-wean mortality starts at day 1
Pre-wean mortality continues to be a challenge to producers across the industry as genetic improvements allow sows to be more prolific and achieve higher total born.
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Strategies to move more pigs from birth to harvest
Litter sizes on US hog farms have steadily increased, but that’s a good-news/bad-news development as those large litters often come at a price, which is more low-birthweight piglets.
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Impact of control options for Streptococcus suis and Haemophilus parasuis
Helping piglets make a smooth transition at weaning is always a priority, but bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus suis and Haemophilus parasuis can make that goal particularly challenging.
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Carthage vets focusing on ‘regional’ IAV-S vaccination strategies for breeding herds
As influenza viruses evolve, is there a more effective way to manage vaccinations for influenza A virus in swine?
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Keep guard up for strep, parasuis in newly weaned pigs
Newly weaned pigs face many challenges — new environment, feed, pen mates. They also face the challenge of bacterial infections like strep and parasuis, the two most common systemic bacterial...
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Veterinarian sees changes to three high-risk swine diseases
Three diseases affecting finishing hogs — Senecavirus A, porcine sapelovirus and erysipelas — have undergone changes over the past year that warrant the pork industry’s attention.
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BMD®: What is its future in pork production?
TOOLBOX, Issue 5: An interview with Daniel Nelson, PhD, PAS, Senior Swine Nutritionist, Zoetis
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Managing pain, Strep suis infection in baby pigs critical for welfare
The US pork industry has demonstrated high standards for animal welfare, but there is still much to learn about mitigating pain — not only during processing, but also pain resulting from Strep...
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Streptococcus suis leads SHIC’s Swine Bacterial Disease Matrix list
Viruses tend to get first priority when it comes to monitoring swine diseases and herd health, but bacteria can wreak just as much havoc.
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Raising pigs without antibiotics? Plan to ‘sweat the small stuff’
Follow this rule if you’re raising pigs without antibiotics: “Sweat the small stuff.” That’s the advice from Doug MacDougald, DVM, for any farm that wants to eliminate antibiotics without...
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Needles & Sins: Sloppy vaccination protocols can jeopardize herd health, welfare, returns
Nick Zanger learned a few tough lessons about vaccine protocols shortly after he started managing three 2,500-head nursery-to-finishing buildings near Loraine, Illinois.
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Five ways to get better returns on your swine-health program
The pork industry uses a wide variety of vaccinations and medications for managing viral and bacterial diseases. Micah Jansen, DVM, Zoetis, identifies five areas where producers can improve returns...
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Close to the finish: How grower pigs spread PRRS to sow farms
It’s time to consider the role finishing pigs play in the spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) to sow farms, according to Montserrat Torremorell, DVM, PhD,...
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Employee training improves piglet-survival rates
An employee-training program focused on online training followed by tracked, in-barn verification experiences helped a start-up farm achieve top piglet-survival rates, according to a study.
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Pay more attention to your sow herd’s lifeline
By William R. Fombelle, DVM Carthage Veterinary Service, LTD Carthage, Illinois
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PCV2: Future considerations for an evolving virus
Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) may not be a new virus challenge for pork producers and swine veterinarians, but it remains a constant challenge.
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Barn location can impact PRRS exposure risk
Several factors go into selecting a site for a pork-production unit, but research shows there are a couple more — specifically, terrain and vegetation — that may influence exposure to the porcine...
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Yeske: Mycoplasma elimination ‘always a good strategy’
Eliminating mycoplasma from a herd works well with a fast payback, even in hog-dense areas, according to research conducted by Paul Yeske, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota.
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Maximizing colostrum intake at birth improves finishing performance
The amount of colostrum a piglet consumes during its first 24 hours of life impacts its performance through finishing, according to Jeffery Wiegert, swine specialist, North Carolina State University...
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Retailers setting their sights on pain management in pig production
Although antibiotics and sow housing have remained center stage in recent years, retailers are increasingly putting pressure on producers to address pain management as part of their...
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Dietary alternatives to antibiotics show mixed results in ISU research review
Given the task to find and review research on dietary alternatives for sub-therapeutic antibiotic growth promotants, Wes Schweer and a team of pork-industry experts didn’t know what to expect.
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PRRSV in finishers may contribute to the disease on sow farms
It’s time to consider the role finishing pigs play in the spread of PRRSV to sow farms.
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Part 1: Vaccine storage and handling
A common mistake made with vaccines involves improper handling of the vaccines. From the time the products arrive on the farm until they are used, the vaccines must be properly stored, following...
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Part 2: Selecting and training caregivers for effective vaccination
A common mistake made with vaccines involves improper handling of the vaccines. From the time the products arrive on the farm until they are used, the vaccines must be properly stored, following...
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Part 3: Vaccine training more important as pork industry rethinks antibiotics
The new veterinary feed directive rules regarding the use of antibiotics in feed makes the use of vaccinations more important to maintain optimum swine health. If pigs receive proper vaccinations...
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Part 4: Training benefits antibiotic programs, too
A well-trained caregiver becomes the first line of defense against disease in a hog unit. If they are trained to recognize the first signs of disease in pig units, they can alert management...
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Part 5: Feed medications still play an important role in swine health
Veterinarians know the history of disease that may pop up within different hog systems. Depending on the situation, they may decide that a feed antibiotic is the best route to treat the pigs.
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New Fostera Gold PCV vaccines: Broadest coverage for PCV2 viruses
TOOLBOX, Issue 8: Rick Swalla, DVM, recently talked with editors of Pig Health Today about the pork industry’s first vaccine to include two genotypes of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and the...
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US pork industry’s first vaccine with two PCV2 genotypes announced at AASV
The US pork industry’s first vaccine to include two genotypes of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) — 2a and 2b — was announced on the first day of the American Association of Swine...
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Early weaning permanently compromises gut immune response
Researchers at Michigan State University investigated how early weaning ages affect development of a piglet’s gut and its ability to launch an immune response against pathogens.
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Large-scale trials make case for longer sow lactations
The Pipestone System in Minnesota recently conducted at their research facilities two large-scale trials to study the effects of lactation length on sows and growing-pig performance.
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Colostrum intake at birth sets up pig for life
How much colostrum a piglet consumes on day 1 impacts the pig’s performance for the rest of its life, according to a North Carolina State University study.
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Future vaccines rely on other pathways for delivery
What developing technologies and products will make vaccine administration and compliance easier in the future?
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Pig vaccination 101
Employees can make a big difference in herd health by properly administering vaccines. But employees don’t always know the correct protocols and why vaccinations are so important.
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How long do mycoplasma-negative herds stay negative?
Most hog farms successfully stamp out mycoplasma pneumonia when they work with their veterinarian to eliminate the disease. The challenge is preventing reinfection.
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Steps to keep the incidence of stillborns at bay
by Megan Schnur, DVM Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd. Carthage, Illinois
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Pig care, disease prevention are top goals for this vet
In a video produced as part of the Vets on Call series, Dr. Paul Ruen explains that pigs are social creatures who like to be in groups.
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Individual pig care offers path to better health, uniformity
Making pig uniformity part of the management strategy from birth can maximize profitability throughout the growth cycle.
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In-feed antibiotics best addressed on a case-by-case basis
Adjusting to changes in how and when to use in-feed antibiotics is an ongoing effort. While those products are still available under veterinarian supervision for prevention and treatment of a...
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Balancing good and bad bacteria key to effective gut health, nutrient absorption
Developing techniques and tools to encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut is key to producing healthier pigs that require fewer antibiotics over the long term, according to swine...
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USDA, industry groups take issue with WHO’s latest statement on poultry, livestock antibiotics
The USDA’s chief scientist and several scientific and industry organizations took issue with the World Health Organization’s recent news release recommending that poultry and livestock...
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Getting pigs off to a good start with better gut health
Improved education of caretakers is one way pork producers can help ensure their pigs have a healthy gut and get off to a good start, Noel Garbes, DVM, technical services veterinarian, Zoetis, told...
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ISU scientists pinpoint indicators of acute pain in neonatal pigs
Indicators of acute pain in piglets have been identified by researchers from Iowa State University (ISU).
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Why PRRS elimination doesn’t work in some herds
Amber Stricker, DVM, discusses reasons why successful PRRS elimination isn’t always achieved in some herds.
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How 50 swine vets plan to manage seasonal respiratory disease in the new VFD era
For as long as any pork producer can remember, fall’s arrival traditionally was a signal to add a respiratory antibiotic to the grower-finisher rations or, at the very least, pulse feed a...
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What you need to know about CSI auditors
Anyone who owns hogs or hog buildings should expect a visit someday by an auditor who will conduct an animal-welfare and food-safety audit. Usually a packer or processor requests the audit, which is...
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Virtual clinic drives better understanding of disease outbreaks
A virtual veterinary clinic that monitors pig-disease trends and provides an early alert system for diagnostic laboratories and swine practitioners is helping the US pork industry stay head of...
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So far, so good: Pork producers adjusting well to new VFD rules
Implementation of the new veterinary feed directive (VFD) in swine has gone smoothly in the field, according to Chris Rademacher, DVM, Iowa State University Extension.
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Gut bacteria deserve renewed focus
With the FDA’s new veterinary feed directive (VFD) rules changing the way some feed-grade antimicrobials are used on the farm, other options are gaining more attention.
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What’s the best PRRS strategy for your herd?
Every year, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) infects an estimated 25% to 45% of sow herds in the US, according to Clayton Johnson, DVM, Carthage Veterinary Clinic, Carthage,...
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Heat stress: It’s not just for market hogs
Losses due to heat stress are commonly associated with market hogs, particularly during transportation in the hot, humid summer months, but recent research shows that weaners and feeder pigs are...
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Solve biosecurity overload by focusing on the basics
Keeping a hog farm free of pathogens can be a daunting task for producers. The process to evaluate potential risks and then undertake biosecurity measures to manage the risks has become complex. In...
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Can soluble dietary fiber reduce the need for antimicrobials in nursery diets?
Increased soluble fiber in pig diets shows promise as an alternative for growth-promoting antimicrobials in nursery diets, according to Eric Burrough, DVM, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, Iowa State...
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Prevent the spread of disease by properly cleaning water lines
One of the most basic — yet often overlooked — elements of pork production is water. A clean, safe palatable water supply ensures adequate hydration, encourages feed consumption and helps prevent...
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Keep opportunistic bacterial challenges in pigs at bay
Bacterial challenges facing pigs can be traced back to other shortfalls that weaken their immune system.
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Sow parity has no effect on incidence and timing of influenza in piglets
Sow parity appears to have no effect on the incidence and timing of influenza infection in piglets, indicates a study presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Association of Swine...
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Colostrum may be best sample for PCV2 on sow farms
Colostrum may be the best sample to test for determining whether porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is present in sow herds, according to researchers at Iowa State University (ISU).
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Fine-tune ventilation, evaporation to combat heat stress in pigs
Without the ability to sweat, pigs must rely on conduction, convection, radiation, and respiration/evaporation to remove body heat. Forcing air across a wet pig — the process of convection and...
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Opportunistic pathogens prey on newly weaned pigs infected with a primary virus
Around 50% of pigs weaned today likely are infected with a primary viral pathogen, like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) or swine influenza, reported Cameron Schmitt, DVM,...
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Disinfectant effective against PEDV in freezing conditions
Contaminated hog trailers are now known to be partially responsible for spreading the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in 2013 as it emerged in the US.
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Time to reboot disease surveillance
US pork production has gone through dramatic changes over recent decades, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the challenge that infectious disease presents. Swine veterinarians, researchers and...
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Understanding animal behavior helps ensure better piglet care
Watching 21-day old piglets that just left their mothers being placed in a nursery barn takes a special “sixth” sense to understand what they’re feeling.
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Technology, veterinary care helping to improve pig health, production on Illinois swine farm
Ness farm pigs get dessert before dinner. The Ness’ production system uses a liquid byproduct from an ice cream manufacturer to supply fat and energy to their pigs’ diet.
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Oral fluids offer practical on-farm disease surveillance
Monitoring the spread of a pathogen is one part of disease surveillance. But early identification is another part — arguably with growing importance as millions of pigs move across state lines each...
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Piglet pain control during castration still needs answers
Castrating male piglets to prevent boar taint at market age is a common occurrence on US hog farms. However, as consumer interest in on-farm practices and animal welfare grows, producers will need...
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Demonstration farm helping pork industry see benefits of pig-castration alternative
A group of 250 intact male piglets arrives at the demonstration farm ready to be the face of a new type of pork production.
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Boar-taint vaccination associated with less male aggression in Australian study
Boar-taint vaccination improved the welfare of male pigs kept under commercial conditions by inhibiting sexual and aggressive behavior, according to new research from Australia.
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Benefits of castration alternative presented at global pig-health event
Two world-renowned experts discussed the economic and welfare benefits of using a novel castration alternative at the 2016 International Pig Veterinary Society conference in Dublin.
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