On Farm Investigation of

Diarrhoea in the first 3 weeks post-weaning

 

Area of concern

1

Note the timing of the diarrhoea

Many cases of diarrhoea actually start 5-7 days previously.

2

Note the type of  diarrhoea and appearance of the anal ring

Blood   Water    Yellow/pasty   Mucoid.  Alkaline faeces E. coli: acid viral

3

Post-mortem examination of weaner.  Euthanasia of acutely affected pigs should be examined rather than looking only at chronically affected pigs with secondary problems.

Environmental and management checks

Ö

1

Post-weaning feeding routines.  Poor feed intake in the first week encourages gorging in the second with protein overload of the gut and diarrhoea.  Gruel feeding is essential combined with little and often feeding routines

 

2

Hygiene of feeder – especially between batches

 

3

Feeder space.  Inadequate feeder space increases aggression.  Note behaviour in first 3 days

 

4

Creep feeding and hygiene in the farrowing house

 

5

Mycotoxins in feed and feed storage.  Note mycotoxins damage vitamins such as Vit E and can affect the palatability of the feed

 

6

Feed ingredients – Zinc Oxide presence for example

 

7

Is diarrhoea associated with a recent feed type change?

 

8

Water hygiene, especially between batches.

 

9

Almost any air movement is undesirable >0.2 m/sec (> 50 feet/min)  is  a draught in the sleeping area

 

10

Chilling of the weaners, check lying patterns sleeping area temperatures (initially ideally >27•C) and defecation patterns.

 

11

Variable temperatures and high humidity in the sleeping area

 

12

Damp floors/bedding particularly in the sleeping area

 

13

Degree of cross-fostering pre-weaning

 

14

Number of sows farrowing each week, application of all-in all out and pig flow

 

15

Age of piglets at weaning and the variability in age and weight

 

 

 

16

Poor room cleaning between batches

 

17

Infection transfer - is there a separate brush and scrape for each batch, foot baths, personnel hygiene

 

18

Review vermin and fly control

 

19

Weaner treatments not been clean enough,  Check cross-contamination between healthy and sick pigs

 

20

Type of iron injection utilised. Lack of sufficient iron may encourage more diarrhoea

 

21

Medication issues.  Vaccine storage protocols.  Note maternal colostrum transfer post-weaning is poor for E. coli vaccines

 

22

Review presence of other pathogens, PRRSv and PMWS for example

 

23

Is a feed-back programme in place?

 

24

Check parity profile of the mother of weaners with diarrhoea

 


Treatment protocols to control post-weaning diarrhoea

 

Aims

 

Enhance pig’s resistance to pathogens – or at least do nothing to reduce the pig’s resistance

Reduce pathogen load

Note most of the “pathogenic” organisms are “normal” in the environment

Treatment and control protocols

Reduce susceptible pigs

 

Remove bottom 10% (smalls) from the main group and house and manage differently

Review pig flow and ensure over and under-stocking removed

Review weaner age and weights and enhance

Review pre-weaning management to maximise health at weaning – review cross-fostering regimes in particular

Ensure iron administration pre-weaning adequate

Ensure all pigs are eating within 12 hours post-weaning

Ensure adequate feed space available – note newly weaned pigs eat as a group – automatic restrict feeding even if feed available “ad-lib”

Ensure a warm, draught free sleeping area is available for all pigs

Provide warmer sleeping flooring – use of comfort boards etc

Enhance pig’s resistance

 

Presence of Zinc Oxide 2500 g/tonne for first 2-3 weeks post-weaning

Use acidifiers for the diet and water supplies

Use of probiotics – ensure they are alive – milk and yogurt products

Consider use of sterilised peat products to act as an antitoxin/absorbant

Increase Vit E concentration in feed – to 250 ppm

Use suitable antimicrobial therapy

Ensure that compliance with dose rate and treatment protocols.  It may be necessary to treat whole groups of animals, including those not sick

Change genetics in cases of Bowel Oedema – E. coli K18

Consider vaccines to Bowel Oedema

Miscellaneous

 

If creep feeding is practiced pre-weaning: stop and review situation

Feed-back programmes using  weaner faeces, including the diarrhoea, to gilts and sows 6 weeks pre-farrowing.  Discuss this aspect with your veterinarian

If gilt litter weaner’s are more prone review management of gilt – note particularly feed-back and immunity protocols

Review and possibly change creep/weaner feed type –meal, pellets, wet or dry size of pellets

Reduce pathogen load

 

Separate sick animals from main group as soon as possible – hospital area

Provide electrolytes in water supply to sick pigs

Do not move sick pigs back into previous week groups

Do not move recovered sick pigs back into main group until over 30kg bodyweight

Practice rigid All-in/all-out

Adequate hygiene between batches – use of lime-washing

Ensure water lines are properly disinfected between batches

Ensure feeders are properly cleaned between batches

Ensure that there is no cross-contamination between batches through foot wear, brushes, scrapes or needles/syringes

Note hygiene of lying pads and comfort boards

Enhance vermin and fly controls

Monitor weaner’s rate and evenness of growth