Pathogen elimination through

Hysterectomy and move piglets to a new farm

Example - Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae elimination

(It is possible to do with a hysterectomy – carefully prepared caesarean but requires detailed surgical care)

Science assumptions – re Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
		The organism is not normally present on the skin
		The organism not normally present in the blood
		The organism is not passed through the placenta to the foetus
Sow Preparation Protocols
	The sow should be presented at 112-114 days of gestation. The day before the hysterectomy, the sow should be washed without causing stress
Day before hysterectomy
1	It is better not to try to stop the farrowing time, but sometimes it will necessary. Two compounds may be considered. Check that these compounds are legal.
	Progesterone: 300 mg intramuscular day before
	Planipart™ (clenbuterol): 10 ml (300 mg) intramuscular dose every 12 hours
2	Ensure that a foster mother is going to be available on the new farm
Preparation protocol
1	Sow must not be in labour and giving birth. If any piglets have been born or there is placenta showing, the sow must not be moved off the unit
2	The sow should be gently driven to the site of hysterectomy
3	The truck, driver and support staff must stay at least 20 metres away from the piglet end of the hysterectomy
4	The driver and support staff must wear clean outer clothing on the day of the hysterectomy. Particular areas of concern are the wearing of clean boots and washed hands
5	The truck used to transport the sow should be cleaned and disinfected and not used to move pigs for 12 hours after cleaning and disinfection
6	The breeding company is to ensure all parties know that the hysterectomy is to be carried out the next morning
Hysterectomy site
1	The hysterectomy site must be secure and discreet
2	The site should be arranged so that the piglet area and dam area are clearly separated by a minimum of 20 metres
3	No staff should move between the two sites at any time
4	After the hysterectomy has been completed all material must be removed and the site disinfected.
5	If the carcase remains at the hysterectomy site, it must be placed in a covered and/or purpose built dog proof building. The carcase must be removed within 24 hours of slaughter. The carcase must have been removed prior to another hysterectomy being carried out
PREPARATION FOR THE HYSTERECTOMY
DAY PRIOR TO THE HYSTERECTOMY
Stockpersons Responsibilities
1	Prepare the bath, ensure that it is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected
2	Ensure the hysterectomy table is thoroughly clean
Within 15 minutes of the start of the hysterectomy
1	The bath is to be filled to a water depth of 30 cm with hot tap water
2	Add suitable mild disinfectant to the water
3	Move the bath to the clean site of the hysterectomy
4	Have one additional bucket of warm clean water ready to clean post-slaughter
5	If the hysterectomy is not carried out within 25 minutes of filling the bath, then the bath should be refilled with water at the required temperature

Slaughter Procedure
Three people are required; two stock people (stockperson 1 & 2) and one veterinarian
1	The piglet area must be ready
2	The sow must be securely snared and restrained by stockperson 1
3	The veterinarian gives stockperson 2 the pithing rod and the knife
4	Both stockpeople must stand behind the veterinarian The veterinarian shots the sow using a captive bolt.
5	Immediately the veterinarian passes the discharged gun to stockperson 2 by the handle, keeping the gun pointing at the floor at all times.
6	The stockperson 2 passes the pithing rod to the veterinarian
7	The veterinarian attempts to insert the pithing rod into the cranial hole. A certain degree of force may be required to fully penetrate the cranium
8	Stockperson 1 must stay behind the veterinarian and continue to restrain the sow on the snare
9	The pithing rod is passed down the spinal cord of the sow and slowly moved in and out until all excessive movement stops
10	Leave the pithing rod in place until after the hysterectomy
The Hysterectomy Procedure
1	The sow is to be rolled out on her back with stockperson 1 holding one hind leg
2	Stockperson 2 pass to the veterinarian the knife and then places the gun back in its gun box
3	Stockperson 2 prepares to bring the hot water bath to the side of the sow
4	The veterinarian starting at the xyphoid process cuts through the skin and fat, down to between the hind legs. Do not penetrate the abdomen. Cut only through skin and fat
5	Penetrate the abdominal cavity at the xyphoid process. Make a sufficiently large hole to allow the hand to be inserted into the abdominal cavity. Reverse the cutting method and raising the abdominal wall with the hand, cut along the linea alba. Take particular care not to penetrate any internal organs
6	Place the knife blade into the muscles of the fore leg
7	Bring the hot water bath to the side of the sow
8	Pour and pull the uterus into the bath. Pull and tear the ovarian end. In some cases the cervical end can even be torn but in most cases the cervical end will need to be severed by the knife
9	Once the whole uterus is in the water bath both stockpeople must briskly walk with the bath to the piglet area
Possible problems during the hysterectomy
A	A small hole has been made in the uterus but no piglets are released
	Ignore and continue
B	A larger hole has been made in the uterus and a piglet is released
	A larger hole has been made in the uterus and a piglet is released. Keep pulling the uterus into the water bath and proceed with the hysterectomy. The released piglet is not to be moved to the piglet processing area but is to be dried and returned, whenever possible, to the sow source farm
The piglet site
DAY BEFORE HYSTERECTOMY
1	Processing Table
	Ensure the table is cleaned and disinfected thoroughly at least 12 hours before the hysterectomy. The table is designed to have a grill to allow water though but not the uterus and piglets
2	Piglet Transport Box
	Ensure the box is cleaned and disinfected thoroughly at least 12 hours before the hysterectomy. Ensure the box can be warmed effectively. Ensure there is an adequate number of boxes and that they are big enough to take the maximum number of piglets
3	The truck to Transport the Piglets to the new farm
	Ensure the truck is cleaned and disinfected thoroughly at least 12 hours before the hysterectomy

	DAY OF THE HYSTERECTOMY
	1		The piglet area should be discretely sited
	2		The veterinarian, nurse and stockperson from the destination farm should have clean outer clothing and boots. Plastic outer protectors should be worn
	3		Hands should be cleaned prior to arrival and washed with surgical scrub disinfectant. Gloves can be worn by the operators. However, gloves can interfere with the processing time as it can make it more difficult to remove the piglets from the uterus
	4		Tools required are: Naval clamps 14 pairs, Sterilised curved blunt ended scissors, Dry towels, 2 bottles Revivon™ drops
	Piglet Processing
1		The two stockpeople briskly approach the processing table and pour the water and disinfectant onto and through the processing table
2		The two stockpeople briskly walk back to the hysterectomy site
3		All three operators (one vet, nurses and piglet stockperson) open the uterus and remove the piglets. Do not cut into the piglets
4		The veterinarian then moves the blood up the cord towards each pig and placed a navel clamp approximately 5 cm from the umbilicus. The umbilical cord is then cut from the placenta from each piglet.
5		During all this time the nurse and stockperson use dry towels to massage and dry the piglets. The nurse and stockperson must talk to the piglets and encourage the piglets to breath
6		The piglet should squeal and move vigorously before being moved into the transportation box
7		Piglets having problems with breathing, attempt to recover using Revivon™ dripped on the tongue. Despite the temptation, mouth to mouth resuscitation is not to be attempted as pathogen transmission may occur
8		Once all the piglets are in the transportation box the stockperson, transportation box and transport truck must leave for the new farm
9		Any piglets with any deformity likely to affect production must not enter the piglet transportation box. For example, deformed legs or cleft palate (if noticed)
10		The piglet processing area is now thoroughly cleaned down and all disposable equipment disposed of hygienically (plastic overcoat, gloves etc.,)
At the new farm
New farm being made – no sow’s available
		The farm facilities must be extremely clean
		Note the new piglets will have received no colostrum and therefore, will have no natural immunity.
		Provide artificial colostrum supplements. Cow colostrum may be a good substitute. Provide 50 ml per piglet at 10 ml per dose by stomach tube.
		Inject each piglet with 3mg ceftiour or 5 mg tulathromycin
New stock being moved to an established farm
		Induce sows to farrow on the day of the hysterectomy
		Foster pigs of sows as they farrow. If short of sows, box up sow’s natural piglets and give then artificial colostrum and once all pigs are born given them one suckle of the sow
		Hysterectomy piglets must be given priority. When hysterectomy piglets arrive, do not fuss over then. Put shredded paper in the pen and extra lights. Ensure foster sow has not suckled in the last hour, and then just leave the hysterectomy piglets to get on with it.
		Inject each piglet with 3mg ceftiofur or 5 mg tulathromycin