Weblog: Pig health

Tidying up some loose ends

//09 Sep 2008

By David Burch

Over the last few month's, I was asked a number of questions such as 'how effective PCV2 vaccines would be when there is a mixed respiratory infection with over 30% mortality', and also 'how am I meant to give all these vaccines to my growing pigs?' Some answers are now emerging.
Over the last few month's, I was asked a number of questions such as 'how effective PCV2 vaccines would be when there is a mixed respiratory infection with over 30% mortality', and also 'how am I meant to give all these vaccines to my growing pigs?' Some answers are now emerging.

At the recent IPVS conference in Durban there was a seminar paper by Prof Young from Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea, describing farms with these very high mortality problems associated with porcine circovirus diseases (PCVD) and their response to using piglet vaccines against PCV2 (see Table 1).

Table 1. Field trial results on three farms with PCVD in Korea to PCV2 piglet vaccination
Farm
No of sows
Diseases present post weaning
Mortality (%) weaning to 22weeks
Weight at 22 weeks (kg)

 

 

 

Non-vac
Vac
Non-vac
Vac
A
300
PMWS, Glässer's,
E. coli, salmonella
48
8
70.1
86.4
B
250
PMWS, pneumonia
24
6
83.26
97.36
C
330
PMWS, pneumonia, salmonella
22
8
92.55
94.29
Average

 

 

31.3
7.3
81.97
92.68
Difference

 

 

-
-24.0
-
+10.71
Key: Non-vac = non vaccinated; Vac = PCV2 vaccinated; PMWS = post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome

There was a dramatic reduction in mortality from an average of 31.3% to 7.3%, a saving of 24%. Average bodyweights increased by 10.7kgs. I think these results are surprisingly successful and if reproducible across Asia, where there is often a high mortality rate reported, they are very exciting. It highlights the role that PCV2 infections can play in these high mortality herds.

On another side regarding multiple vaccinations, it has just been reported that the US has approved that Ingelvac CircoFLEX® for PCV2 and MycoFLEX® for Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae can be mixed together and used in combination to control both PMWS and enzootic pneumonia. I think this is a first by Boehringer Ingelheim. The mixed products contain the same adjuvant (ImpranFLEX®) which allows the two products to be mixed together and be administered to three week old piglets or older as a single shot. This has obvious benefits to the producer in saving time and labour and allowing a single injection rather than two, which were usually given two weeks apart.

Answers to the problems of controlling both PMWS and enzootic pneumonia and multi-vaccination are now really moving ahead very swiftly.
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Comments (10)

1.
Ok so the results appear impressive. What is the cost per pig, against the extra kilos gained,
Deryck Wilcox Cargill consultant on production management at 09-09-2008 14:16
2.
Thank you for this very informative article.

I am concerned that infection will take place and have affected the pigs immune system already before the protection is given at three weeks.

Billy James- at 10-09-2008 09:40
3.
what bugs were associated with the pneumonia - any APP and what serovar if present-
peter mckenzie at 10-09-2008 10:59
4.
Hi David - great information. I am expecting more like that but it seems to be slow in coming. Comments from Thailand and one farm in Indonesia were the same "... nothing yet ... not much effect..."
Mark Eastaugh at 10-09-2008 11:16
5.
Hi Deryck - the talk did not give a cost/benefit analysis but with that mortality reduction of 24% and that weight gain increase of 10.7kgs, I think it would be a no brainer. I can refer you to my website Octagon-Services.co.uk for a number of articles on cost benefit. More recent analysis of trials show that just the PCV2 infection, without serious clinical PCVAD, can cause an average 2.3 kg drop in liveweight - another article.
David Burch at 15-09-2008 16:01
6.
Hi Billy - in no-immune sows and their offspring the damage can be quite early. In most herds now that have had the disease the immunity from maternal antibodies can protect up to about 10 weeks of age. This appears to give plenty of time for the vaccines to work. One can be used as early as 2 weeks of age.
David Burch at 15-09-2008 16:03
7.
Dear Peter - I checked for this but it did not mention APP in the paper. The other bugs are as in the Table. This is an area of concern and surprise to me as I havefound APP to be a major problem in Asian farms in the past. I have emphasised this in previous weblogs this year
David Burch at 15-09-2008 16:06
8.
Good to hear from you Mark. That is disappointing news if that is the case. I hoped for better. A farm in Indonesia was just starting a trial batch when I was last out in Asia so I hoped for something more positive to be coming through. Were they piglet or sow vaccines?
David Burch at 15-09-2008 16:16
9.
Overall in the UK there has been a very strong uptake in the PCV2 vaccines and reportedly 75% of farms are now vaccinating either sows or piglets. There is still some availability restrictions on some piglet vaccines - but the results have been very positive.
David Burch at 15-09-2008 16:20
10.
Piglet vaccinations David. In discussion with Nate Winkleman a few weeks ago he said 95% of farms in his area (in USA) were using circo vaccines and ALL are getting good results. (the other 5% had not had any problems, but even some such farms had also seen unexpected improvements in trials!)
Mark Eastaugh at 29-09-2008 20:20

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