Term
| What processing procedures do nursing piglets undergo? Why? |
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Definition
Iron administrated via injection/orally
-prevent anema, piglets have very low Fe reserves and low Fe in sow's milk
Clip Needle Teeth
-prevents injury/disease e.g. Greasy Pig disease
Castration
-prevent boar taint
Dock Tails
-prevents tail biting |
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Term
| What are the nursing piglet production targets for birth weight, pre-weaning mortality, weaning age and weaning weight? |
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Definition
Birth weight 1.5kg
Pre-weaning mortality <10%
Weaning age 17-28 days (avg 21)
Weaning weight >5kg |
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Term
| What are the major causes of pre-weaning mortality? (4) |
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Definition
Management
-crushing
-chilling
-starvation
Disease
-diarrhea |
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Term
| What can be done to prevent crushing? (4) |
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Definition
-use farrowing crates
-non slip flooring under sow
-wean after colostrum is received and then use artificial teat
-attend farrowing room/supervise at all times |
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Term
| What can be done to prevent chilling? (3) Why is this important? |
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Definition
-provide supplemental heat/creep area
-matted crates
-dry cold piglets & put in warming box
Piglets have little to no fat stores at birth, if they are cold they are weak and won't suckle. |
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Term
| What can be done to prevent starvation? (3) |
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Definition
-make sure small/weak piglets are nursing
-remove larger piglets for short periods so smaller ones can nurse
-provide milk replacers
-cross fostering to ensure there are enough teats for the number of piglets |
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Term
| What is the disadvantage of cross-fostering? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the primary causes of diarrhea in piglets? At what age do they affect piglets? (4) |
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Definition
Colibacillosis (<12hrs)
Transmissible Gastroenteritis (2 days)
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (2 days)
Coccidiosis (5d up to 3 weeks) |
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Term
| Why is the timing of clinical signs important when a piglet has diarrhea? |
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Definition
| Different agents affect piglets at different stages of life; useful in determining the causal agent |
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Term
| What agent is associated with colibacillosis? |
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Definition
Escherichia coli
-commensal bacteria of GIT, the pathogenic Enterotoxigenic E. coli must be present to cause diarrhea |
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Term
| Describe the pathogenesis of colibacillosis |
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Definition
-fecal oral route
-attach to & colonize villi of SI
-bacteria produce enterotoxins
-causes excess fluid secretion into lumen |
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Term
| What are the clinical signs of colibacillosis? |
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Definition
-watery/creamy diarrhea at less than 12h of age
-dehydrated, weak piglets
-more common in gilt litters
-morbidity and mortality rates >20% |
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Term
| Why is colibacillosis more common in gilt litters? |
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Definition
| poor quality antibodies in milk |
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Term
| What can you do to maximize lactogenic immunity in order to control colibacillosis? |
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Definition
-vaccinated sows 3wks before farrowing
-vaccinate gilts twice
-use a killed vaccine or autogenous vaccine
-reduce sow culling rates |
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Term
| Why is reducing sow culling rates a means of improving lactogenic immunity to prevent colibaccilosis? |
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Definition
| -reduces the frequency of young replacement gilts coming in, a younger herd has lower lactogenic immunity |
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Term
|
Definition
| Sows not milking, so piglets are not being fed |
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Term
| Other than improving lactogenic immunity, what else can be done to control colibacillosis? |
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Definition
Minimize challenge
-all in/all out farrowing rooms
-C & D between groups
-perforated floors to keep manure away from piglets
Keep piglets warm
-maintains gut motility & desire to suckle
Minimize transmission
-wash hands, handle litters with diarrhea last |
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Term
| What environmental factors contribute to colibacillosis? |
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Definition
-dirty farrowing crates
-cold/drafts
-careless workers
-sow age/health |
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Term
| What host factors contribute to colibacillosis? |
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Definition
-piglet age
-genetics
-immune status
-nursing ability |
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Term
| What agent factors contribute to colibacillosis? |
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Definition
-pili allow bacteria to attach to villi of piglet
-enterotoxin produced by bacteria causes excess secretion of fluid into gut lumen |
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Term
| Describe the characteristics of the virus that causes Transmissible Gastroenteritis (4) |
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Definition
-coronavirus
-heat sensitive
-very stable when frozen
-seasonal disease (higher incidence in winter) |
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Term
| Describe the pathogenesis of TGE |
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Definition
-fecal/oral or nasal route
-causes severe villous atrophy in neonates |
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Term
| Why is villous atrophy caused by TGE severe in neonates? |
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Definition
| enterocytes grow from the base of the villi to the tip, and regeneration of these enterocytes is slow in neonates (up to 3 weeks) |
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Term
| What are the clinical signs of TGE? (4) |
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Definition
-vomiting & watery diarrhea beginning at 2d old
-all piglets born over next 6 wks die
-high mortality in young piglets
-spreads rapidly through the herd
-piglets are still nursing |
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Term
True or False
TGE only affects piglets who are 2 days old |
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Definition
False
Affects all ages of pigs, young pigs are more severely affected and diarrhea will begin at around 2 days of age |
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Term
| What can you do to control TGE? (4) |
|
Definition
-expose all animals & employ a feedback program
-strict biosecurity protocols
-keep a closed herd (buy 6 months of replacement gilts & sows, then no more new arrivals)
-clean & disinfect barn thorouhly |
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Term
| What environmental factors are associated with TGE and PED? |
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Definition
-season (winter)
-poor biosecurity |
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Term
| What host factors are associated with TGE and PED? |
|
Definition
-age (neonates more severe)
-does affect all ages
-lactogenic immunity to protect neonates |
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Term
| What agent factors are associated with TGE and PED? |
|
Definition
-TGE virus
-survives in cold environment
-highly contagious |
|
|
Term
| Describe the characteristics of the virus associated with Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (4) |
|
Definition
-coronavirus
-heat sensitive
-very stable when frozen
-seasonal disease (higher incidence in winter) |
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|
Term
| Describe the etiology of the agent causing coccidial diarrhea |
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Definition
-protozoal parasite Isospora suis
-transmitted via fecal-oral route |
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Term
| Describe the pathogenesis of coccidial diarrhea |
|
Definition
-coccidia grow in enterocytes of SI
-cause mild/moderate villous atrophy
-oocysts are resistant to disinfection
-cement floors & late summmer = predisposition to this disease |
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Term
| Describe the clinical signs of coccidial diarrhea (4) |
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Definition
-mild creamy diarrhea
-affects older piglets (5d to 3wks)
-slow growth
-high morbidity, low mortality |
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Term
| What can you do to control coccidial diarrhea? |
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Definition
-antibiotics are ineffective, no vaccine available
-anti parasite medication can be used
-seal concrete floors (paint)
-all in/all out systems
-change flooring to perforated raised floors |
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Term
| What environmental factors contribute to coccidial diarrhea? |
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Definition
-dirty farrowing crates
-cement floors |
|
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Term
| What agent factors contribute to coccidial diarrhea? |
|
Definition
-due to parasite Isospora suis
-'sticky' oocysts resistant to disinfection |
|
|
Term
| What host factors contribute to coccidial diarrhea? |
|
Definition
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Term
| What are the non-pathogenic causes of piglet mortality? |
|
Definition
chilling
crushing
starvation |
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