Pre-weaning Scour Protocols
Piglet treatments |
|
1 |
Treat
whole litter as soon as one piglet starts to show symptoms |
2 |
Place a cube
drinker filled with water, electrolytes and glucose. This must be replaced at least 4 times
daily. Keep clean Sinple homemade electrolytes |
3 |
If creep is
provided, remove the creep |
4 |
All
piglets to be given colostrum |
5 |
Administer
antimicrobial oral dose measured doses once a day by mouth, see the
practice. Ensure you do not use this medicator for healthy piglets |
6 |
Inject
with a suitable antimicrobial. |
7 |
Clean up
scour as soon as possible |
8 |
The stockpeople
must wash their hands after treating the piglets and dip their boots in
disinfectant |
9 |
Syringes or
oral dosers must not be used on a sick piglet and
then used on a healthy piglet |
10 |
If scour
occurs after day 10 consider coccidiosis |
Cross-fostering |
|
1 |
Piglets
movements must be carefully monitored.
A lot of scouring is associated with fostering. Review cross-fostering protocols |
Movements of utensils and people from one room
to the next |
|
2 |
All rooms should
have their own brush and shovel |
3 |
Each brush
and shovel should be placed in disinfectant when not in use. Ensure disinfectant is still working |
4 |
Teeth
clipping, tattooing, notching and tail docking equipment must be thoroughly cleaned
between rooms |
5 |
Ensure
that the rooms are thoroughly cleaned between batches |
6 |
Consider
lime-washing to enhance hygiene and disinfection |
Investigation |
|
1 |
As soon as
scour starts, submit rectal swabs |
2 |
If piglets
die, submit piglet for post-mortem examination |
3 |
If scour
continues, submit live piglets before treatment |
Long term |
|
1 |
Pressure
washing principles must be exemplary |
2 |
Practice
lime washing if possible |
3 |
Practice all-in/all-out
– pig flow |
4 |
If scour
is a persistent problem have the environment examined in detail i.e. for
drafts |
5 |
Ensure
preventative protocols are adhered to, i.e. vaccination and feed-back |