Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is endemic in some regions of Japan. We investigated the effects
of PRV infection status on herd productivity. Serum samples were obtained from 48 swine
herds in Japan. Within each herd, three serum samples were obtained from growing pigs at
four different ages, as well as from sows in low and high parity groups. Sera were tested
for antibodies against wild-type PRV via competitive ELISA. Herds were classified into PRV
positive and negative groups based on serological results. Herds infected with PRV
exhibited postweaning mortalities (6.84%) that were significantly
(P=0.0018) higher than those in unaffected herds (4.73%). Because of the
reduced productivity in PRV positive herds, the current PRV eradication program must be
strengthened.
The objective was to investigate porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) outbreak that occurred
in 2014 in Japan and its effects on herd-level productivity using a data recording system
(PigINFO). The study herds were selected from farrow-to-finish herds (n=99) that entered
in the PigINFO system between July 2013 and March 2015. From 1 April to 30 June 2014 (PED
epidemic), any herds with clinical signs of PED and feces positive for porcine epidemic
diarrhea virus (PEDV) on polymerase chain reaction analysis and/or immunohistochemical
staining were defined as PED-positive (n=38). They were further classified into those with
long PED periods (L-PED-positive; n=28) and those with short PED periods (S-PED-positive;
n=10). Herds with no clinical signs of PED were classified as PED-negative (n=61).
Herd-level production data, including preweaning mortality (%; PRWM), postweaning
mortality (%; POWM), pigs weaned per litter (PWL), pigs born alive per litter, litters per
mated female per year and pigs marketed per sow (MP), were calculated every 3 months
during study period. During the PED epidemic, L-PED-positive herds had significantly
higher PRWM and POWM than PED-negative herds, and L-PED-positive and S-PED-positive herds
had significantly lower PWL. During October–December 2014, L-PED-positive herds had
significantly fewer MP than PED-negative herds. The PED outbreak increased mortality and
consequently reduced the numbers of marketed pigs. The rapid control of an outbreak is
important for reducing the financial losses arising from PED infections.
SummaryThis study was conducted to create a new benchmarking system for farrow-to-finish swine farms in Japan. Descriptive statistics of the profitability and production variables were calculated using data obtained from 94 farrow-to-finish swine farms in 2010. The mean values±SD for crude profit, carcass weight, price of marketed carcasses, and feed price were $4,633/sow±861, 1,608 kg/sow± 184, $5.47/kg±0.31, and $0.51/kg±0.05, respectively. The mean values±SD for pigs weaned per mated female per year, litters per mated female per year, and pigs born alive per litter (PBA) were 23.0/(female·year)±2.19, 2.33/(female・year)±0.12, and 10.79/litter ±0.79, respectively. The postweaning mortality risk was positively correlated with feed conversion rate (P<0.01) and the preweaning mortality risk was positively correlated with PBA (P<0.01). A sensitivity analysis was simulated within a production tree and the price of marketed carcass had the greatest effects on crude profit per farm. The present benchmarking system is useful in identifying weakness within the farm production system and the estimated financial returns from improvements in production variables could encourage farmers to achieve better production efficiencies.
Defined daily doses (DDD) have been established in human medicine to standardize the measurement of treatment in a population. In veterinary medicine, the European Medicine Agency published defined daily dose (DDDvet) values for antimicrobial agents used in food-producing animals in 2016. National defined doses (DDDjp) for antimicrobials used for pigs in Japan have recently been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the results of calculated antimicrobial use in the field using the DDDjp and DDDvet values. Data from 74 pig farms in Japan relative to antimicrobial use in 2019 was collected. The numbers of DDDs (the weight of biomass treated in kg-days) using DDDjp and DDDvet values for each farm and for different antimicrobial classes were compared. Associations between calculated numbers of DDDjp and DDDvet on farm level were investigated. In addition, differences in antimicrobial use were investigated between different production types of farms (farrowing, finishing and farrow-to-finish farms). Using DDDjp and DDDvet values, the aggregated number of DDDs for 74 farms were 4,099,188 and 2,217,085 respectively, with the former being larger by 1.85 times than the latter. The most frequently used antimicrobial class was penicillin regardless of whether DDDjp or DDDvet was used. The absence of DDDvet values for certain antimicrobial agents used in Japan and the differences in the number of DDDjps/PCU and DDDvets/PCU indicated the need for Japanese DDDs. The number of DDDs per kg population correction unit (PCU) per farm tended to be higher in farrowing farms than in farrow-to-finish farms and finishing farms, with no significant difference (P = 0.19).
Improving productivity is an urgent issue in the swine industry if it is to compete internationally. However, lack of data about recent productivity transition obstructs stakeholder planning. This study investigated the yearly productivity trends among farrow-tofinish swine farms in Japan using annual productivity data from 2013-2018 obtained for 70 farms in Japan. The productivity parameters analyzed were pigs born alive per litter (PBA), preweaning mortality (PRWM), pigs weaned per litter (PWL), litters per mated female per year (LMFY), pigs weaned per mated female per year (PWMFY), post-weaning mortality (POWM) and marketed pigs per mated female per year (MP). Data were classified into three groups based on the size of the average female inventory and compared among groups. Results presented the mean PBA increased continuously over the 6-year period (P < 0.001), and the PWL, PWMFY, and MP means began increasing after 2015 (P < 0.001). These upward trends were particularly remarkable on large farms. The mean PRWM increased sharply in 2014, thus inhibiting the increases in PWL, PWMFY, and MP for the same year. The LMFY and POWM means did not change during the study period. Altogether, productivity in Japan improved markedly during the study period, indicating highly prolific sows were well utilized with suitable breeding techniques among farmers these days. Continued genetic improvement and sow management would aid further development in Japan.
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