Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds

Sow batch management systems have become more popular due to advantages in labour planning, piglet batch sizes, all-in all-out practices and health management. The present study investigated the potential health advantages of 10 selected farrow-to-finish pig herds before and after transition from a...

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Main Authors: F. Vangroenweghe, L. Suls, E. Van Driessche, D. Maes, E. De Graef
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences 2012-02-01
Series:Veterinární Medicína
Subjects:
Online Access:https://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/vet-201202-0003_health-advantages-of-transition-to-batch-management-system-in-farrow-to-finish-pig-herds.php
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author F. Vangroenweghe
L. Suls
E. Van Driessche
D. Maes
E. De Graef
author_facet F. Vangroenweghe
L. Suls
E. Van Driessche
D. Maes
E. De Graef
author_sort F. Vangroenweghe
collection DOAJ
description Sow batch management systems have become more popular due to advantages in labour planning, piglet batch sizes, all-in all-out practices and health management. The present study investigated the potential health advantages of 10 selected farrow-to-finish pig herds before and after transition from a one week batch management system to a four or five week batch management system. Five different animal categories (gilts, sows, piglets, growers and finishers) were sampled at three time points (T0, T1 and T2) before and after transition to a four or five week batch management system. Different matrices of the animals were collected: blood, nasal swabs and faeces. Several economically important diseases were monitored through serology: Lawsonia intracellularis, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSv), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae; and PCR-testing: Pasteurella multocida dermonecrotic toxin (DNT) and Brachyspira species, especially the major pathogenic Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. Following serological analysis, the percentage of positive animals per category and sampling occasion were calculated. Health improvement based on serology was defined as the reduction in the percentage of positive animals for a specific disease in a specified animal category. All samples were negative for P. multocida DNT and B. hyodysenteriae. Little to no improvement could be observed for PRRSv. For L. intracellularis an improvement could be observed in piglets (71%) and growers (56%; P < 0.05). For both of the respiratory pathogens, M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae, significant improvement was observed in finishers (34 and 24%, respectively). In growers, only M. hyopneumoniae showed a significant improvement (34%). In conclusion, the transition from a one week batch management system to a four or five week batch management system in the present herds resulted in a reduction of the percentage of seropositive animals for three of the monitored economically important diseases: L. intracellularis, M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae.
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spelling doaj.art-32b41df931484bdf83bdfb5a4adfd7ab2023-02-23T03:50:02ZengCzech Academy of Agricultural SciencesVeterinární Medicína0375-84271805-93922012-02-01572839110.17221/5254-VETMEDvet-201202-0003Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herdsF. Vangroenweghe0L. Suls1E. Van Driessche2D. Maes3E. De Graef4Elanco Animal Health, Brussels, BelgiumElanco Animal Health, Brussels, BelgiumAnimal Health Care Flanders, Torhout, BelgiumFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, BelgiumAntiMicrobial Consumption and Resistance in Animals, Merelbeke, BelgiumSow batch management systems have become more popular due to advantages in labour planning, piglet batch sizes, all-in all-out practices and health management. The present study investigated the potential health advantages of 10 selected farrow-to-finish pig herds before and after transition from a one week batch management system to a four or five week batch management system. Five different animal categories (gilts, sows, piglets, growers and finishers) were sampled at three time points (T0, T1 and T2) before and after transition to a four or five week batch management system. Different matrices of the animals were collected: blood, nasal swabs and faeces. Several economically important diseases were monitored through serology: Lawsonia intracellularis, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSv), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae; and PCR-testing: Pasteurella multocida dermonecrotic toxin (DNT) and Brachyspira species, especially the major pathogenic Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. Following serological analysis, the percentage of positive animals per category and sampling occasion were calculated. Health improvement based on serology was defined as the reduction in the percentage of positive animals for a specific disease in a specified animal category. All samples were negative for P. multocida DNT and B. hyodysenteriae. Little to no improvement could be observed for PRRSv. For L. intracellularis an improvement could be observed in piglets (71%) and growers (56%; P < 0.05). For both of the respiratory pathogens, M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae, significant improvement was observed in finishers (34 and 24%, respectively). In growers, only M. hyopneumoniae showed a significant improvement (34%). In conclusion, the transition from a one week batch management system to a four or five week batch management system in the present herds resulted in a reduction of the percentage of seropositive animals for three of the monitored economically important diseases: L. intracellularis, M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae.https://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/vet-201202-0003_health-advantages-of-transition-to-batch-management-system-in-farrow-to-finish-pig-herds.phphealth statusmonitoringfarrow-to-finish pig herdsgroup management
spellingShingle F. Vangroenweghe
L. Suls
E. Van Driessche
D. Maes
E. De Graef
Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
Veterinární Medicína
health status
monitoring
farrow-to-finish pig herds
group management
title Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
title_full Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
title_fullStr Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
title_full_unstemmed Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
title_short Health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow-to-finish pig herds
title_sort health advantages of transition to batch management system in farrow to finish pig herds
topic health status
monitoring
farrow-to-finish pig herds
group management
url https://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/vet-201202-0003_health-advantages-of-transition-to-batch-management-system-in-farrow-to-finish-pig-herds.php
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AT evandriessche healthadvantagesoftransitiontobatchmanagementsysteminfarrowtofinishpigherds
AT dmaes healthadvantagesoftransitiontobatchmanagementsysteminfarrowtofinishpigherds
AT edegraef healthadvantagesoftransitiontobatchmanagementsysteminfarrowtofinishpigherds