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VDPAM 445Swine Topics
Farrowing
VDPAM 445Swine Topics
Farrowing
Dr. Alex RamirezVeterinary Diagnostic and
Production Animal MedicineIowa State University
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BenchmarksBenchmarksParameter Excellent Average Poor
Still births <5% 7-8% > 9%
Mortality < 7% 10-12% >14%
Pigs weaned/litter >10.5 9.5 – 10 < 9
Pig weaning weight >15# 12# <10#
No value pigs <2% 3-4% >5%
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Piglet mortalityPiglet mortality
• Most common causes– Laid on: 50-60% of all deaths– Poor viability (low birth weight),
defects, etc.: 30-40%– Starvouts: < 10% (Not a primary diagnosis)– Others: should be low percentage normally
• Slippery floors/genetics = splay leg• Rough, abrasive floors = arthritis, lameness• Unsanitary = diarrhea, arthritis
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Piglet mortalityPiglet mortality
• General strategies to reduce piglet mortality– Increase birth weights by increasing feed intake
during late gestation– Heat lamp management: 2 then 1
• Back (first day), One side (3-7 days)• KEEP PIGS AWAY FROM SOW
– Decrease room temperature• Sows eat and milk better• Draws pigs to heated area
– Management: chilling, colostrum consumption
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Maximizing Piglet ImmunityMaximizing Piglet Immunity
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Critical pointsCritical points
1. Controlled environment• Room environment• Micro environment
• Crate• Heat lamps/mats
2. Specialized/dedicated labor• Focus on detail• Become an expert!
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Establish and follow strict biosecurity plan
Establish and follow strict biosecurity plan
Newborn pigs are born without antibody protection
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Maximizing through the colostrum
Maximizing through the colostrum
• This is nothing new
– Observed long before immunology
developed - 1800’s
– Antibodies are sow exposure specific
– Other growth stimulators
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Maximizing through the colostrum
Maximizing through the colostrum
• Colostral AB can’t protect alone
– The piglet immune system must also respond
* energy and protein
– This is a dynamic response that must also be balanced
– Piglet robustness –size, weight, viability
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Colostral Facts and Philosophy
Colostral Facts and Philosophy
• Antibody Flux and Flow
– 6 hours post partum• Milk levels ++
• Serum levels ++
– 48 hours post partum • Milk levels +
• Serum levels +++
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Litter IgG VariationDay 4
Litter IgG VariationDay 4
Figure 1. Variation in pig serum IgG content w ithin a litter.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
0 2 4 6 8
Litter
Seru
m Ig
G (
mg
/dL
)
Bob Harrel
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IgG Absorption by WeightDay 4
IgG Absorption by WeightDay 4
Figure 2. Variability of pig serum IgG content by pig weight
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pig weight (lbs)
Seru
m Ig
G (
mg
/dl)
Bob Harrel
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Colostral Facts and Philosophy
Colostral Facts and Philosophy
• Important points:
– Both quality and quantity count
– Birth to suckle time is critical
– Length of labor – first to last piglet
• Our job:
– Maximize individual and litter intake
– Intervention if labor is prolonged
– Effective Cross fostering
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Colostral Facts and Philosophy
Colostral Facts and Philosophy
• Split suckling – only insures a minimum effective dose to the
whole litter
– Stomach tube – stored colostrum?
• There are no exceptional methods
of intervention – litter size = functional teats
– First to last pig = < 3 hours
– All pigs suckle > 2 times in the first two hours of life
– Minimal to no cross fostering
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Sow Vaccine ManagementSow Vaccine Management
• Sow vaccines that improve piglet Heath
– Cost effective
– Commercially Available
– Small part of the sow immune priming process
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Prepare sow for farrowingPrepare sow for farrowing
• Main source of disease for piglets
• Treat for internal/ external parasites
– Before moved into farrowing
• Wash sow
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SavagingSavaging• Sows/first litter gilts will kill their pigs
via biting• Indicates stress?
- over feeding makes them irritable?• Treatment
– Remove pigs until sow accepts• Usually within 12 hours, keep pigs warm, still will absorb
colostrum
– Tranquilize with acepromazine (5cc)– Inject with oxytocin
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Iron deficiency anemiaIron deficiency anemia
• Milk is low in iron– Reserves are exhausted by 15-20 days of age– Severe deficiency results in tachypnea
• Most pigs need about 200 mg– Day 1- 3– More with faster growth rate– Monitor level and titrate iron dose by checking hemoglobins
and/or PCV’s• Oral versus injectable
– Oral absorption = injection for first 12 hours after birth, then oral absorption is not adequate
– Don’t inject in the ham!!
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Baby pig diarrhea: Clinical Dx.
Baby pig diarrhea: Clinical Dx.
Parameter E. coli TGE Rota Clost.Cocci.
Onset days <1 1-2 2-3 1-2 ≥5Vomit X XXBlood X-XXEmpty lacteals XX X XSow diarrhea XVillus atrophy XX XSmears useful ?? XX
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Baby pig diarrhea: TGEBaby pig diarrhea: TGE• TGE virus acute outbreak
– Treatment of pigs is of limited value• Very demoralizing for farm personnel
– Increase farrowing barn temperature– Wean pigs > 2 weeks old place on electrolytes– Feed intestinal material to entire sow herd
• Rapid infection = rapid development of herd immunity• 1 pluck per 6-10 sows• Remove pluck from dead pig, slice, place in cold water
and pour on top of feed– Vaccinate sows once 2 weeks prior to farrowing
for the next 20-26 weeks (one turn of sow herd)
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Other diseasesOther diseases• Pneumonia/respiratory
– Swine influenza virus and various bacteria• Injectable antibiotics only: no food or water consumption
• Greasy pig disease: Staphylococcus hyicus– Injectable antibiotics:
• Long-acting penicillin, 1 ml per 10#, every other day for 3 treatments, IM/SQ
• Lincomycin, 5 mg/#, SID for 3-5 days, IM– Topical: Mineral oil (1 gallon) and Nolvasan (8 oz.) mixture,
every other day (3-4 treatments)– Rule-out pityriasis rosea
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Sow off-feed for 1½ - 2 daysSow off-feed for 1½ - 2 days
• Wetting feed• Provide starter feed• Vitamin B12 injection
• Exercise– Constipated (details later)
• Check body temperature
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Elevated body temperatureElevated body temperature
• Normal rectal temperature
– Should fall to ~ 102.5 °F by 48 hr after farrowing
102.0
102.5
103.0
103.5
104.0
At birth 12 hr24 hr 1 week
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ConstipationConstipation
• Prolonged period w/o defecation
– 24 – 36 hr after farrowing
• Remove feces from behind sow at farrowing (scraping)
– Identify constipated sow better Consistency of feces from
a constipated sow
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Relieving/preventing constipationRelieving/preventing constipation
• Exercise – The 1st option
• Feed as described previously before/after farrowing
• Manual removal• Laxatives
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MastitisMastitis
• Inflammation of mammary gland– Bacterial infection
• Warm, enlarged, and sensitive glands• Sow lies on belly and off-feed• Piglets hungry, gaunt, maybe diarrhea
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MMAMMA• “Garbage can” diagnosis for sows that are off-
feed, febrile and not milking well +/- specific signs• Prevention
– Same factors considered for increasing sow feed intake
– Slightly limit feed intake prior to farrowing • 5-7# per day on sows• 4-5# per day on gilts
– Laxatives• Natural/Physiological - wheat bran, whole oats, psyllium• Chemicals – Dynamate (K and Mg sulfate)
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MMAMMA
• Prevention: 10 ml of penicillin (?? value)– AVOID BLANKET TREATMENT – POOR MEDICINE!
• Treatment:– Antibiotics (Penicillin, Tylan, tetracyclines)
SID, 2-3 days– Corticosteriods (5 ml- dexamethasone,
flumethasone), 1X only– Oxytocin (2 ml), SID, 2-3 days– B complex vitamins (10 ml), SID, 2-3 days
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AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
• I would like to recognize others for their significant contributions to this presentation:– Dr. Brad Thacker– Dr. Locke Karriker– Dr. Butch Baker– Duane Reese - Nebraska
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Questions?Questions?