Pigs Flashcards
What finishing weights are you aiming for in these stages of pig farming?
Weaner
Grower
Finisher
Weaner: 7kg
Grower: 30kg
Finisher: 130kg
What kind of soil do pigs need for outdoor farms?
Why are the majority (60%) of herds indoor housed?
Free-draining land (Clay-based soils turn into mud) Need large areas of free-draining land Lots of workers Bad or very hot weather is challenging
What is a gilt?
A female pig that has not yet given birth
What are sows vaccinated for that gilts are not?
What is it commonly called?
Mycoplasma hypopneumoniae
Enzootic pneumonia
What are the main 4 diseases pigs are vaccinated against?
- Erysipelas
- PCV2
- E. coli
- PRRS
What coccidiostat is used in pigs?
Toltrazuril
What hormone is administered for milk let-down and uterus contraction in pigs?
Oxytocin
What hormone is used for induction of farrowing in pigs?
PGF2-alpha
What are two important considerations when giving synthetic progestagens to synchronise oestrus?
Dosing must be accurate (under-dosing is catastrophic)
Ovaries must be active
Why is suckling so important in sows for milk let-down?
Suckling has a huge positive feedback for prolactin secretion
What is the difference between the use of sow stalls in the UK and the Netherlands?
UK: ILLEGAL (only up to 24 hours post-service)
Netherlands: LEGAL
(up to 4 weeks post-farrowing)
What is length of standing heat directly proportional to?
Number of follicles (fertility)
What are the two events where a sow is at most risk of endometritis? Why?
Post-farrowing
AI
Due to cervix being open (bacteria able to enter)
What is carbetocin caveat?
Oxytocin/carbetocin overdose
Causes myometrial contraction OVER the piglets
Oxytocin lasts for 1/2 hour, carbetocin lasts for HOURS
Dead piglets!
What is MMA syndrome?
What is the origin?
Mastitis, metritis, agalactia
Managemental
What is “savaging” in sows post-farrowing?
Why does it occur?
Overconditioned sow Narrowing of pelvic canal Pain during dystocia Associates piglets with pain from piglets Will attack piglets
What is a “stillborn” piglet?
Fresh death
Death within 24 hours before farrowing
When do the majority of piglet deaths occur post-farrowing?
<72 hours
What is the purpose of a heat lamp (for piglets)?
Piglets move away from the sow when not suckling
In order to decrease overlays/lay-ons
What is the purpose of iron injections in piglets?
Supplement iron in indoor pigs as would naturally receive it from snuffling in the soil
What is the main cause of mortality in piglets with viral scour?
Dehydration and secondary bacterial infection
Which two coronaviruses cause viral piglet scour?
What do you do if you suspect one of these?
Porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) They are notifiable "light" (the pig industry requests notification)
What pathogen causes a scour sometimes accompanied by vomiting?
PED/TGE
What pathogen causes a pasty yellow scour?
Coccidiosis (isospora suis)
Which pathogen causes sudden death due to acute haemorrhagic enteritis?
Clostridium perfringens Type C
Which three bacterial pathogens are most commonly associated with Bacterial Meningitis in piglets?
E. coli
Streptococcus suis
Haemophilus parasuis
What is congenital tremor type A2?
Intention tremor that occurs sporadically
What legislation do you need in order to keep pet pigs?
Site needs to be registered with Defra -CPHH number needed
What is the gold standard of pig restraint?
What should you ensure whilst using it?
Snitch
Ensure it is behind the canine teeth on upper jaw only (as will pull back)
How much of their bodyweight do pigs drink daily?
10%
What is the function of wallowing?
Covering in mud to cool down as cannot sweat
Mud is better than water as protects from UV and sunburn
What 3 factors predisposes pet pigs to stomach ulcers?
Low level stress
Intermittent feeding
Large numbers of stones
What are Kune-Kunes and Vietnamese Pot Bellied boars prone to?
How do you prevent it?
Scrotal hernias
Castration
What nutritional deficiencies cause parakeratosis?
How does it present?
Zinc and Vitamin B deficiencies
Thickened, chunks of skin
What is used to treat Erysipelas?
Penicillin
Only if treated early in the course of disease
What NSAID is not to be used in animals to enter the food chain?
What anaesthetic?
Phenylbutazone
Ketamine
What could you use as sedation for a pig?
Azaperone (no analgesia, beware priapism, variable effect)
Xylazine + butorphanol analgesia, less variable effect)
Why is teeth reduction caused? Which teeth does it remove?
Piglets have the same teat throughout lactation
Reduced mortality of piglets in commercial farms compared to the wild
More survive = more competition for teats
Fighting between piglets results in damage to snouts/face
Infection = necrobacillosis
Removal of tips of “pin teeth” (2x bottom, 2x top)
What is the purpose of tail docking?
Reduce the tail in order to create a sensation (exposed nerves) in the end of the tail
If other piglets start nibbling on it, they will feel it and move away
Are piglets allowed to be castrated if they are part of an assurance scheme (e.g. Red Tractor)
No
Tend to send pigs off at a smaller weight (younger) so just before or at puberty
According to Red Tractor, how often must competence for euthanasia be re-evaluated?
Every 3 years
By the named person responsible for euthanasia
What method is captive bolt?
What must it be followed by
Stun (unconsciousness)
Pithing/bleeding
What are the two phases of an effective stun?
Tonic stage: immediate collapse, breathing ceases, becomes rigid, no blink reflex
Clonic: muscle start to relax, involuntary kicking
How can you tell if an animal is recovering/a stun is becoming ineffective?
Clonic activity fades
Rhythmic breathing re-starts
Blink reflex returns
Pain felt
What is the partially medicated depopulation method?
All of the immunocompetent (over 6 months of age) pigs
Stay on farm
Medicated for specific disease
Usually for 2-6 weeks
Become part of new “clean” herd
Herd below 6 months of age and any piglets produced from them
Separate staff and site
Rear to bacon weight and slaughter
Overall left with the clean breeding herd
Where is the best site for blood sampling?
Jugular or cranial vena cava
What should you do about poorer, smaller pigs?
Why?
Euthanase
As won’t be able to keep up with other pigs in competition for feed/water
Why should you not put smaller pigs backwards (i.e. into younger, smaller groups)?
Spread of disease
What are 3 causes of smaller, poorer pigs?
- Damaged gut (coccidiosis)
- Lowered weaning weights (E. coli, rotavirus, clostridia)
- Joint ill (reduced suckling)
What was zinc oxide previously used to treat?
Why is it banned?
E. coli
Evidence to show a pressure in CIA (critically important antimicrobial) resistance
What genus of Salmonella affects weaner pigs?
How is it spread?
S. typhimurium (zoonotic)
Vermin
What are two causes of bacterial meningitis?
Streptococcus suis
Haemophilus suis
What is oedema disease caused by?
When does it often occur?
Prevention?
Shigatoxin producing strains of E. coli
Change of feed
Vaccination (> 4 days old)
What causes a
Progressive Atrophic Rhinitis?
What is a common sign?
Pasteurella multocida (type D toxin producing strain) Reduced growth
What does PMWS stand for?
What is it caused by?
What is the main pathogenesis
Post weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome
PCV2 (Porcine Circovirus type 2)
Immunosuppression, leading to secondary bacterial infections
What causes Greasy Pig disease?
What is it caused by?
Treatment?
Staphylococcus hyicus
Immunosuppression, fighting, high humidity
Savlon skin washes and penicllin (or linomycin)
What two skin diseases are related to Staphylococcus spp.
Greasy pig (S hyicus) Ear tip necrosis
What is the main clinical finding and treatment of Sarcoptic mange?
Intense pruritus!
Ivermectin
Bathing to stop secondary infections
What is the only effective treatment of Ringworm?
What is only clinical finding?
Treatment?
UV light
Non-pruritic spreading rings
None: spontaneously resolves
