Clinical examination & administration of drugs

Question 1

Clinical examination broad division in farming:

Answer 1

herd level clinical exam

vs

individual level clinical exam

Question 2

“Herd level clinical examination” involves what statistical parameters? (8)

Answer 2

Culling %
Mortality

Non-productive days per sow
Weaning to service interval

Farrowing %
Live-born piglets

Stillborn piglets
Length of lactation

Question 3

“normal” mortality for various production groups:

preweaners
weaners
growers
finishers
adults

Answer 3

preweaners 10% mortality
weaners 4%
growers 2%
finishers 2%
adults <1%

Question 4

NPD =

Answer 4

Non-productive sow days (NPD) is defined as any day that a sow or breeding age gilt is not gestating or lactating.

Question 5

Sow dry period length in days

Answer 5

the dry period is the dayas between weaning and new insemination

approx. 5 days

Question 6

Average rate of farrowing out of all inseminated?

Answer 6

ca 87%

some farms even make it to 96%

Question 7

The number of NPD is calculated as

Answer 7

NPD = Non-productive sow days

365 days – ([gestation days + lactation days] x litters/sow/yr).

Question 8

Weaning to service interval is defined as

Answer 8

the number of days from weaning to the day the female is bred again.

Question 9

“Herd level clinical examination” involves checking what features of pig-farming in addition to the (previously covered) statistical parameters? (6)

Answer 9

Vaccination/treatment
Feeding

Disease outbreaks
Genetic selection

Bio-security
Length of farrowing

Question 10

When investigating disease outbreaks and bio-security in pig herds, what questions should you ask? (6)

Answer 10

Have new swine been bought recently?

How is quarantine organized?

Are breeding animals brought from a single or several farms?

How is movement of vehicles and persons monitored on the territory of the farm?

Are swine vehicles clean when they arrive?

Is the principle of ‘all-in, all-out’ (AIAO) followed?

Question 11

When investigating insemination protocols in pig herds, what questions should you ask? (2)

Answer 11

What is the procedure for detecting estrus of sows and gilts?

For mating and inseminating them?

Question 12

When examining a pig herd - how much floor space do the different pig groups require?

Answer 12

At minimum:
farrowing pens needs to be 8m2
farrowing crates need to be 4.4 m2

Question 13

How do you visually and roughly (without measuring) estimate whether pigs in a pen have adequate space?

Answer 13

If 1/3 of the remaining available space, that does not have pigs in or on it, remains free.

Question 14

When examining a pig herd - what ambient room temp. do the different pig groups require?

Answer 14

Almost all groups require a minimum temp. of 12- 15’C,
their maximum is between 32- 37’C.

Optimal temp depends on age group - is mostly between 19- 20’C but babies need warmer.

Minimum & maximum temps first. Optimal window in parantheses.

Question 15

When examining a pig herd - how do you assess growth rate between different pig groups?

Answer 15

Question 16

What is flushing in the context of pig-farming?

Answer 16

Flushing is a term that describes feeding excess high-energy food a week before and a week after insemination in order to encourage successful ovulation and better conception rates.

Question 17

Ideal temp. for a farrowing unit.

Answer 17

Sows prefer 15- 19’C
Newborn piglets prefer up to 35’C

So, for farrowing unit we do 20- 21’C. Def not more than 22- 23’C because the sows will experience heat stress and not eat sufficiently for lactation. The piglets must of course be provided with an additional heat source like a lamp ofr heated rubber mat.

Question 18

Normal body temp. and resp rate for various age pigs?

newborn
piglet 12h after birth
…
weaner
…
pregnant sow

Answer 18

newborn 39’C RR 50-60
piglet 12h after birth 38’C RR 50-60
…
weaner 39’3C RR 25-40
…
pregnant sow 38.7’C RR 13-18

Question 19

Normal body temp. and resp rate for sows nearing and after farrowing?

Answer 19

24 h prior to farrowing 38.7 RR 35-45

12 h prior to farrowing 38.9 RR 75-85

6 h prior to farrowing 39.0 RR 95-105

Farrowing 39,4 RR 35-45

12 h after farrowing 39.7 RR 20-30

24 h after farrowing 40.0 RR 15-22

1 week after farrowing 39.3 RR 15-22

39.3.- 39.5’C is the upper maximum for healthy adult animals

Question 20

If you have an outbreak of disease and need to submit a sick individual for necropsy, how do you choose which one to euthanize?

Answer 20

submit the indiv. that is acutely sick as opposed to the ones who have been sick for longer (chronic or no longer acute) in order to get a prime sample for pathogen detection.

Question 21

How to collect a urine sample from a pig?

Answer 21

Pigs tend to urinate just after they have gotten up from laying down. Make the pig stand and it may urinate at which point you can collect your sample.

Question 22

Alternative to surgical castration of piglets.

Answer 22

immunocastration using prohormones, “castration vaccine”, requires 2 administrations

Question 23

Body condition scoring of swine.

Answer 23

Score of 1-5, 1 being emaciated and 5 being overfat.

Question 24

Optimum body condition for a pregnant sow.

Answer 24

optimal for pregnant sow is BCS 3.5/5

a sow to be inseminated is ideally, BCS 3/5

Question 25

Where should you take blood samples from swine?

Answer 25

external jugular & cranial vena cava are common you can take smaller samples for the external pinna ear vein and orbital sinus (but isn't used so much really)

Question 26

What's happening here?

Answer 26

orbital sinus blood sampling

Question 27

What's this depict?

Answer 27

Caudal and Cranial superficial epigastric veins for blood sampling. This is most convenient for adult animals, especially sows that are in farrowing crates as that's enough restraint already.

Question 28

Individual clinical examination of swine can include: (5)

Answer 28

Stool tests, procedure Skin swabs, procedure Joint palpation (is an important one so don't skip it) Udder palpation Vaginal secretion analyses (etc.)

Question 29

What is a dosatron in pig-farming?

Answer 29

Dosatron is also called water ratio pump. It is used to add medicine to water. The treated drinking water can be used to administer medicines, vaccines and food supplements easily and precisely.

Question 30

Data required for the use of a dosatron. (4)

Answer 30

Number of animals Daily amount of water required for the treated animals (pigs drink about 8-10% of their body weight) Weight of animals (average, group weight) Daily dosage of the drug

Question 31

Amount of water needed for pigs.

Answer 31

Pregnant sows need 12-25 L of water per day. Nursing sows up to 30L of water per day. Weaners need 2.8 L of water per day. Finishers need 10-20 L of water per day.

Question 32

Injection routes in pig-farming.

Answer 32

Intramuscular Subcutaneous Intraperitoneal ## Footnote 2 & 3 not so good though plus those spots are often dirty and can develop abscesses which ruins the meat cuts

Question 33

optimal temp for WEANERS

Answer 33

20- 26'C

Question 34

The optimal environmental temp does NOT depend on floor type. True or false.

Answer 34

False.

Question 35

Body temp of finisher must be below

Answer 35

39.5'C

Question 36

Highest physiological resp. rate in the sow is when?

Answer 36

6h prior to farrowing.

Question 37

optimal BCS for pregnant sow?

Answer 37

BCS 3.5 ## Footnote After weaning she should be a 3.

Question 38

2 main blood vessels for sampling blood in the SOW

Answer 38

caudal and cranial superficial epigastric veins ## Footnote jugular and cranial vena cava are could in piglets but you won't be able to reach them in adult animals.

Question 39

True or false, group tx of pigs can be done via dositron.

Answer 39

True

Question 40

Water pressure of drinking nipples for sows has to be at least?

Answer 40

minimum 2 L/min