COMMON DISEASES AND THEIR
PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURE
1. Classical swine fever
Classical swine fever (CSF) is a
contagious viral disease of pigs. CSF is caused by a virus belonging to the
family Flaviviridae and the genus pestivirus.
SYMPTOMS
- Acute
infection
- In
acute form the pigs appear sick, inactive and drowsy with arched back.
Some pigs stand with droopy head and straight tail. Huddling, vomiting,
high fever anorexia and constipation. Conjunctivitis, staggering gait,
posterior weakness and purple discoloration of abdominal skin
- In
last stage of the infection, pigs will become recumbent, and convulsions
may occur shortly before death. Sever diarrhoea will also occur during
last stages.
- Chronic
form
- Dullness,
capricious appetite, pyrexia and diarrhoea for up to 1 month. Weight
loss, hair loss, dermatitis and discoloration of abdomen or ears are the
other symptoms. A chronically infected pig may have a disproportionately
large head relative to the small trunk.
Diagnosis
- Based
on high morbidity and mortality, high fever, diarrhoea. Kidney and lymph
node lesions will help in field diagnosis.
VACCINATION
- Modified
live vaccines (MLV) are used to control CSF.
2. SWINE INFLUENZA
- Swine
influenza is a highly contagious respiratory viral infection of pigs
caused by swine influenza vius, characterized by coughing, sneezing, nasal
discharge, elevated rectal temperatures, lethargy, difficult breathing,
depressed appetite and rarely associated with reproductive disorders such
as abortion.
- The
first clinical signs are fever (40.5-41.5ºC), puffy eyes, anorexia leading
to loss of weight, depression, prostration and huddling leading to weakness.
These signs are followed by sudden onset of acute respiratory signs, which
include paroxysmal coughing, sneezing, irregular abdominal breathing and
ocular and nasal discharges.
- In
breeding stock, abortions, infertility, production of small weak litters and
increased stillbirths.
PREVENTION AND COTROL
Good husbandry practices
including All-in/All-out to limit the spread of the disease, provision of fresh
clean drinking water, avoiding ducks and turkey contamination's/contact
including staff and proper use of disinfectants to clean infected buildings.
3. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
Viral disease of pigs caused by
FMD virus of the genus Aphthovirus. Characterized by fever (40-40.6ºC),
anorexia, reluctance to move, and scream when forced to move. These signs are followed
by vesicles on the coronary band, heals, inter digital space and on the snout.
Mouth lesions are not too common and when they occur are smaller and of shorter
duration than in cattle and tend to be a "dry"-type lesion. There is
no drooling. Sows may abort. Piglets may die without showing any clinical
sign.
DIAGNOSIS
- Based
on symptom and lesions
Control and eradication program
- Prevention
of movement of animals and animal products in the area affected.
- Destroy
carcasses
- Disinfect
vehicles leaving the infected area.
- Perform
vaccination.
1. SWINE ERYSEPLAS
- A
bacterial disease caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.
Symptoms
- Erysipelas
occurs in pigs of all ages, but pigs from 2 months to one year age are
highly susceptible.
Acute
- The
acute disease is characterized by high fever, in appetence, depression, a
rapid course of illness, and death within 2-3 days in untreated animals.
- Some
animals may show a stiff gait and reluctance to stand or move, and
urticarial cutaneous lesions may develop.
- The
diamond shaped raised skin lesions are pathognomonic. Pregnant sows may
abort.
Chronic
- In
the chronic form arthritis is more common.
- The
hock, stifle, elbow and carpal joints are most likely to be affected
resulting in severe lameness.The mitral valves are involved in valvular
endocarditis. Diamond shaped skin lesions are pathognomonic.
Diagnosis can be achieved by
- Based
on symptom and lesions
- Gram-positive
rods in acute cases and Gram-positive filaments in chronic cases. Treatment
- In
addition to hyper immune serum, treatment with antibiotics such as
penicillin and tetracyclines are effective.
PIGLET MORTALITY
The major task in pig husbandry
is avoiding piglet mortality and raising piglets successfully up to weaning.
After weaning the mortality is comparatively less Pre-partum death may be due
to deficiency of iron, which can be prevented by injection of sow with iron.
Intrapartum death is due to anoxia induced by lack of placental blood flow
associated with uterine contraction or premature rupture of umbilical card. This
intra-partum death occurs mostly in aged sows.
Pre-weaning mortality
The pre-weaning mortality ranges
between 12-30%.
Causes of mortality
|
Sl. No
|
Reasons
|
%
|
|
1
|
Still birth
|
17.4
|
|
2
|
Eaten by the sow
|
0.50
|
|
3
|
Genetic defect
|
1.60
|
|
4
|
Over laid (crushing by mother)
|
66.30
|
|
5
|
Enteritis
|
2.20
|
|
6
|
Pneumonia
|
0.50
|
|
7
|
Unknown
|
11.50
|
Starvation and overlying by the
pig
70% of death is due to starvation
and overlying by the sow, which can be avoided by
- Improving
birth weight and vigor of newborn piglets
- Minimizing
risk of chilling or hypothermia
- Minimizing
agalactia
It is a part of complex condition
of MMA (M= mastitis, M= metritis & A=agalactia). The MMA
syndrome can involve metabolic, bacterial and hormonal factor with stress plays
a part. Since its main effect is loss of milk in the first three days after
farrowing, the condition contributes to piglet loss from starvation.
Reason and control of MMA
- Elevated
temperature of sow is associated with this condition, hence regular
monitoring of sows rectal temperature and treatment with antibiotic and
oxytocin is essential to avoid this condition. Such conditions which are
not detected earlier, it can be noticed by loss of body condition of
piglets and it is very difficult to recover the condition quickly. In
refractory case prompt provision of an alternative source of food for
piglet by foster sow or artificial feeding will minimize the loss
- The
udder and teat of sow should be dry and kept hygiene to avoid such problem
Piglet anemia
The newborn piglet has only
limited reserve of iron in the liver for hemoglobin synthesis. This is due to
poor placental transfer of iron to foetus. The sow milk is very low in iron and
the suckling pig should be supplemented with iron during first few days to
prevent piglet anaemia.
Symptom
·
Pale in
the region of ears and belly
·
Listlessness
·
Rapid
breathing
·
Often
exhibit diarrhea
Control
·
Placing
fresh, clean earth in the piglets pen each day
·
Using
soil drenched with a solution made from 500 gm ferrous sulphate, 75 gm copper
sulphate and 3 litter of water
·
Daily
administration of 4 ml of 1.8 percent ferrous sulphate solution
·
The daily
painting of the mother’s udder with ferrous sulphate solution and sugar [0.5 kg
of ferrous sulphate in 10 liter of water]
·
All these
methods are labour intensive and the safest and easiest method of combating
piglet anaemia is to inject the piglet with 100-150 mg of iron in the form of
iron dextron 3 days after birth. If necessary a second and slightly smaller
injection can be made some 3 weeks later
)