The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs
Abstract Background Researchers and pig veterinarians are interested in assessing pigs’ fecal consistency. This study developed a standardized protocol and scale for the cotton swab method, which is a way of assessing the fecal consistency in pigs. The accuracy of the cotton swab method was evaluate...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | BMC Veterinary Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03888-1 |
| _version_ | 1797274281621585920 |
|---|---|
| author | Esben Østergaard Eriksen Martin Friis Sejersen Ken Steen Pedersen |
| author_facet | Esben Østergaard Eriksen Martin Friis Sejersen Ken Steen Pedersen |
| author_sort | Esben Østergaard Eriksen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Researchers and pig veterinarians are interested in assessing pigs’ fecal consistency. This study developed a standardized protocol and scale for the cotton swab method, which is a way of assessing the fecal consistency in pigs. The accuracy of the cotton swab method was evaluated in weaned pigs using fecal dry-matter analysis as a golden standard. The study also proposed fecal dry-matter percentage thresholds for the categorization of fecal consistency on a four-point scale. Results The thresholds of 10.3%, 16.6%, and 21.9% fecal dry-matter were suggested for categorization of the consistency of fecal samples on a four-point scale. The accuracy of the cotton swab method was high. The agreement to the four-point fecal consistency score derived from the fecal dry-matter percentage was almost perfect (weighted Gwet’s agreement coefficient = 0.87 [95% confidence interval: 0.84; 0.91]). The cotton swab method had a sensitivity of 85.0% (95% confidence interval: 76.5; 91.4) and a specificity of 95.2% (95% confidence interval: 92.0; 97.3) when used to diagnose whether pigs had diarrhea or not. For non-diarrheic pigs, the method almost always (n = 287/289) required less handling than the collection of a fecal sample by digital rectal manipulation. Conclusion The cotton swab method is an accurate way to assess fecal consistency in pigs, both on a four-point scale and as a dichotomous diarrhea score. The method is quick to perform and less invasive than methods relying on the collection of fecal samples. New fecal dry-matter thresholds between feces of different consistencies were proposed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:56:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1fcef5f0436e46e3acd8980d2a5471bc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-6148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:56:08Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-1fcef5f0436e46e3acd8980d2a5471bc2024-03-05T19:24:42ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482024-02-0120111010.1186/s12917-024-03888-1The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigsEsben Østergaard Eriksen0Martin Friis Sejersen1Ken Steen Pedersen2Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section for Production Nutrition and Health, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section for Production Nutrition and Health, University of CopenhagenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section for Production Nutrition and Health, University of CopenhagenAbstract Background Researchers and pig veterinarians are interested in assessing pigs’ fecal consistency. This study developed a standardized protocol and scale for the cotton swab method, which is a way of assessing the fecal consistency in pigs. The accuracy of the cotton swab method was evaluated in weaned pigs using fecal dry-matter analysis as a golden standard. The study also proposed fecal dry-matter percentage thresholds for the categorization of fecal consistency on a four-point scale. Results The thresholds of 10.3%, 16.6%, and 21.9% fecal dry-matter were suggested for categorization of the consistency of fecal samples on a four-point scale. The accuracy of the cotton swab method was high. The agreement to the four-point fecal consistency score derived from the fecal dry-matter percentage was almost perfect (weighted Gwet’s agreement coefficient = 0.87 [95% confidence interval: 0.84; 0.91]). The cotton swab method had a sensitivity of 85.0% (95% confidence interval: 76.5; 91.4) and a specificity of 95.2% (95% confidence interval: 92.0; 97.3) when used to diagnose whether pigs had diarrhea or not. For non-diarrheic pigs, the method almost always (n = 287/289) required less handling than the collection of a fecal sample by digital rectal manipulation. Conclusion The cotton swab method is an accurate way to assess fecal consistency in pigs, both on a four-point scale and as a dichotomous diarrhea score. The method is quick to perform and less invasive than methods relying on the collection of fecal samples. New fecal dry-matter thresholds between feces of different consistencies were proposed.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03888-1Fecal consistencyClinical scoreStool scaleFecal dry-matterPigDiarrhea |
| spellingShingle | Esben Østergaard Eriksen Martin Friis Sejersen Ken Steen Pedersen The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs BMC Veterinary Research Fecal consistency Clinical score Stool scale Fecal dry-matter Pig Diarrhea |
| title | The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| title_full | The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| title_fullStr | The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| title_short | The cotton swab method: an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| title_sort | cotton swab method an accurate and less invasive way to assess fecal consistency in weaned pigs |
| topic | Fecal consistency Clinical score Stool scale Fecal dry-matter Pig Diarrhea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03888-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT esbenøstergaarderiksen thecottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs AT martinfriissejersen thecottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs AT kensteenpedersen thecottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs AT esbenøstergaarderiksen cottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs AT martinfriissejersen cottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs AT kensteenpedersen cottonswabmethodanaccurateandlessinvasivewaytoassessfecalconsistencyinweanedpigs |