It is important to prevent newborn piglets becoming infected with disease-causing pathogens during the birth process.
Should a piglet fail to ingest any colostrum, its chance of survival is almost zero!
The concentrations of immunoglobulin (IgG and IgA) decrease rapidly within a few hours of birth. The timing and quantity of colostrum-intake are therefore critical. The more the better, the quicker the better!
A sow’s own colostrum is irreplaceable for the new born piglet! Only maternal immune cells derived from its’ own mother can cross the intestinal wall of the piglets and thereby activate an immune-system. Healthy and thriving sows will produce plenty colostrum. A piglet requires about 250 g each day. The colostrum contains many immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG and IgM) providing protection against viruses and bacteria.
When implementing a disease control plan is it essential to follow a systematic approach like the 5-step process. First, the goals and expectations for the particular farm must be set. Then the current status of the farm must be determined. In the third step the constraints must be identified, namely biosecurity and management risks that we have in the farm or system. Considering the information of the previous 3 steps we can then design a proper set of solutions (step 4) and in the final step, we implement the solutions chosen and monitor the results (step 5).
Precision is the future of all food production including pork and prevention is the foundation of precision. In this series of articles, Dr. DiPietre will look at different aspects related with pig production and precision agriculture and what economic impact could they have in our farms.
Both groups of pigs have been treated. The red stripe on each piglet indicates that every piglet has been treated. Do you recognize specific signs?
Get the latest news on Swine Health Subscribe to our newsletter