Oedema disease is one of the major diseases in pigs during the nursery period. It is caused by Shigatoxin 2e producing strains of Escherichia coli. In order to combat the disease, the metaphylactic use of colistin sulphate and zinc oxide is widely spread. Additionally, special feeding regimens such as the reduction of the amount of crude protein and the increase of the amount of crude fibre are applied. The goal of this study was to test the efficacy of a vaccine against Oedema disease caused by Shigatoxin 2e in a field trial on a farm with a history of Oedema disease in nursery pigs.The study was carried out on a Dutch farm with 600 sows and a one-week farrowing rhythm and lasted for the time of one year. During this time all piglets were vaccinated with 1 ml ECOPORC SHIGA at the average age of 4 days. The parameters Overall mortality, use of antimicrobials in general, calculated as defined daily dose per animal, use of colistin sulphate and the weight gain were evaluated for all nursery pigs and compared to historical data of animals from the same period of time directly prior to the study serving as a historical control group.The previous mortality in the nursery of 7.7% was significantly reduced to 1.3% after vaccination. The metaphylactic use of colistin sulphate during the nursery period was stopped during the study because no deaths due to Oedema disease had occurred anymore after beginning of vaccination. The defined daily dose per animal per month was significantly reduced from a mean of 1.050 in the year 2012 to a mean of 0.215 in the year 2013. The defined daily dose per animal per year was therefore relevantly reduced from 12.6 in 2012 to 2.6 in 2013.These results show that on this farm Oedema disease can not only be controlled successfully by vaccination but also that vaccination can significantly reduce the use of antimicrobials in the nursery period.
The objective of this study was to compare the occurrence of Salmonella spp. found in the animal environment in pig herds with different Salmonella risks (61 herds with low seroprevalence, 81 herds with high seroprevalence) on a broad scale. The environmental samples were divided into two types: direct (n=1105) and indirect (n=1220) environmental samples. All samples were tested for Salmonella spp. via real-time polymerase chain reaction. Most of the indirect environments were more often Salmonella-positive in the high-seroprevalence herds than in the low-seroprevalence herds; significantly higher were compartment aisles [odds ratio (OR) 3·45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·61-7·41], driving boards (OR 3·06, 95% CI 1·38-6·92) and the central aisle of the barn (OR 3·03, 95% CI 1·35-6·83). The overall results show that especially areas in the indirect environment are the major, but mostly underestimated causes of residual Salmonella.
Compliance to good farming practice is a substantial issue to increase animal health and food quality in pork production. In this case-control study, as part of a general framework, farmers were asked six questions via a face-to-face questionnaire, in order to determine their motivation for Salmonella control on their farms. The cases were in the so called Category III (n= 104) of the German Salmonella monitoring system; the controls were in Category I (n = 67). This system is based on the German law to the reduction of Salmonella on pig farms, where farms in Category III have sero-prevalence of > 40% and herds in Category I have a sero-prevalence < 20 %. After a first round of questions based on their motivation, the farms were divided into two groups: those with a "good" and those with a "poor" motivation. A significant difference in motivation between categories could not be determined. As a second step, 16 questions were asked to determine the routine of cleaning and disinfection (C+D-routine). Likewise, two groups were then established. No significant difference in C+D-routine could be established between the categories.
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