Major diseases in swine farming: how to avoid them

Swine farming involves significant financial transactions, employment opportunities, and various figures tied to the production chain—this is something we've heard repeatedly. However, for the entire system to succeed, it's crucial that strong, established foundations underpin every aspect of the production cycle. These foundational elements include:

• Genetics of the animals
• Environmental conditions
• Nutritional strategies
• Hygiene and sanitation

In this context, we’ll delve into the topic of sanitation and explore some diseases that impact pigs on farms. Proper prevention and control of these illnesses within the farming process strengthen the sanitation pillar, ensuring overall production success. The primary pathogens affecting swine are bacteria and viruses, though protozoa and fungi can also play a role. It’s worth emphasizing that healthy animals ensure the quality of the final product, meeting buyers' expectations. Generally speaking, biosecurity programs help maintain optimal sanitation levels on farms while mitigating the risks of major swine diseases.

Swine Dysentery

Swine dysentery is a bacterial illness caused by the pathogen *Brachyspira hyodysentariae*, which targets the intestines of infected animals. This disease is highly contagious, with mucohemorrhagic diarrhea being the key symptom. Nursery and finishing pigs are particularly vulnerable.

Symptoms:

Besides mucohemorrhagic diarrhea, additional signs include:

• Anorexia
• Increased thirst
• Abdominal distension
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Feces containing undigested feed

An important point highlighted by CRMV-GO is that this disease can increase production costs by up to 20%, leading to significant economic losses for farmers.

Prevention:

In the past, antibiotics were effective in combating dysentery. However, due to the widespread use of these drugs, *Brachyspira hyodysenteriae* has developed resistance to certain medications, rendering them ineffective. Currently, there are no fully effective vaccines for controlling this disease. Thus, prevention remains the best approach. Some preventive actions include:

• Collective medication for livestock (with veterinary guidance)
• Cleaning pens
• Restricting human and vehicle access to the farm, as they can carry the bacterium
• Implementing quarantine between batches
• Adopting biosecurity programs

Porcine Parvovirus Infection

This disease is caused by a virus that is prevalent and widely distributed. The virus belongs to the Parvoviridae family and specifically affects the reproductive phase of swine, causing embryonic death.

Symptoms:

• Repeated heat cycles due to fetal resorption
• Abortion
• Mummified fetuses
• Having fewer than four piglets
• Stillbirths
• False pregnancy

Due to its impact on piglet births, Porcine Parvovirus Infection is economically devastating, resulting in fewer piglets being born. When the virus infects a female, it enters the bloodstream and travels to the uterus, crossing the placenta, which leads to the death of piglets.

Transmission:

The virus spreads between animals through contact with contaminated materials, ingestion, or contact with mucous membranes (placenta, feces, urine, and secretions).

Prevention:

• Removing infected animals to prevent further contamination
• Cleaning and disinfecting facilities
• Vaccination programs for animals
• Laboratory testing
• Quarantine and testing for new animals arriving on the farm

A noteworthy fact is that infected but non-discarded animals can become asymptomatic carriers of the virus, especially males, who show no reproductive symptoms. A single infected male in a farm can contaminate multiple females through natural mating or artificial insemination, leading to widespread contamination of breeding herds. Thus, prophylaxis in males should receive equal or greater attention compared to females.

Exudative Epidermitis

Also known as "wet eczema," exudative dermatitis typically affects suckling and recently weaned piglets. It is caused by the bacterium *Staphylococcus Hyicus*.

Symptoms:

The main symptom is the formation of crusts on the piglets' skin, starting from the face and spreading across the body.

Transmission:

The primary cause of contamination is poor sanitary conditions, as the bacterium thrives in dirty environments. Caution should be exercised during procedures like castration, tooth cutting, and tail docking, as open wounds serve as entry points for infection.

Treatment and Control:

Treatment involves antibiotics combined with thorough cleaning and disinfection of farm facilities. If the disease is not widespread, recovery is relatively straightforward. Farmers should remain vigilant about hygiene to prevent affected animals from experiencing delayed growth and compromised development.

Swine Fever

Swine fever is a viral disease that spreads rapidly among animals. Since there is no cure, infected animals must be culled.

Symptoms:

• High fever
• Diarrhea
• Hemorrhages
• Convulsions
• Tremors
• Dark or red skin

Transmission:

Infection occurs through contact with contaminated food, vehicles, and people carrying the virus into farms. Transmission can happen via clothing, direct contact with infected animals, etc.

Prevention and Control:

• Culling of infected animals
• Vaccination
• Cleaning and disinfecting facilities

Best Practices

Understanding the diseases affecting pigs helps establish hygiene measures and preventive actions to manage and control outbreaks. Pathogens can largely be avoided or eradicated through proper cleaning and disinfection protocols, good feed production practices, and strict biosecurity measures regarding the entry and exit of people, vehicles, and animals.

Measures:

• Quarantine procedures
• Vaccination schedules
• Cleaning and disinfecting protocols including:
  • Dry cleaning
  • Gutter and septic tank cleaning
  • Wet cleaning
  • Use of disinfectants
  • Flamethrower usage
  • Sanitary breaks
  • All-in, all-out systems (where facilities are used and emptied simultaneously to allow for thorough cleaning and disinfection)
• Respecting maximum animal capacity
• Regular lab testing
• Monitoring animal behavior and symptoms
• Optimizing environmental conditions, ensuring facilities and surroundings align with each phase of animal development, including appropriate climate control, lighting, and water temperature
• Implementing good practices in feed production
• Continuous staff training to ensure protocol adherence

All these measures aim to prevent disease spread within the farm. Even with these precautions, it’s possible for pathogens to enter the facilities and infect animals. Therefore, it’s vital that the environment matches the animals' developmental stages, and their nutrition is well-balanced and sufficient. These factors ensure the animals remain stress-free and avoid unnecessary metabolic stress, thus maintaining good health. Our goal is to keep the environment and feed from weakening the pigs' immunity. Yet, it’s critical to monitor feed formulations, as they directly influence animal health and welfare.

Nutrition and Health

Proper nutrition ensures optimal body condition and health for the animals. Pigs on balanced diets can still contract diseases, but they tend to recover more easily than those with nutritional deficiencies. Today, feeds are meticulously balanced to provide the necessary vitamins, minerals, energy, and other nutrients required at each life stage. Formulating feeds solely with corn and soybeans is inadequate and inefficient. Technological advancements in animal feed continue to introduce innovative ingredients that enhance formulations. One notable example is chicken protein hydrolysate.

Chicken Protein Hydrolysate

Chicken Protein Hydrolysate is a highly nutritious and natural ingredient developed to boost feed performance. Produced through enzymatic hydrolysis, this process creates smaller amino acid chains called peptides. Peptides, due to their smaller structure, are quickly absorbed by animals, improving feed conversion rates and digestibility. They also stimulate the immune and nervous systems, reducing stress and preventing diseases. These bioactive peptides act as antioxidants and antimicrobials, neutralizing free radicals and acting as barriers against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. With a secure environment and balanced nutrition, the entire swine production system benefits from improved health. As we began by stating, health and nutrition are interdependent pillars that must work together. Even if a disease outbreak occurs, healthy and well-nourished animals ensure positive productivity outcomes.

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