Acute health problems in industrial production of swine and possible solutions

Abstract

The main characteristic of swine herds in the territory of the Republic of Serbia is an unsatisfactory health status accompanied by increased incidence of contagious parasitic, genetic and other disorders. All this is a consequence of long-term unfavorable production conditions (maintenance of animals, diet, treatment, prevention, etc), which to a large extent altered the course and outcome of the mentioned diseases, and which had direct impact on the parameters which determine the health status of animals in a population. The health status of swine populations in our country are mostly determined by the presence of swine plague, but also diseases of pluricausal character, such as coli in fections, actinobdjcillosis, atrophic rhinitis dysentery, and others. One must also not forget the presence of diseases which can be maintained in herds for a long time as enzootic diseases (Aujeszkyi, leptospirosis, tuberculosis, etc). Among parasitic diseases trichinellosis deserves special attention since it endangers the health of humans more and more every day. Most of the mentioned diseases are exhibited in very different clinical forms, so that their timely detection is very difficult and their control complex. That is why swine production in our country is characterized by a low percentage of fertilization, small number of live and large number of still-born piglets, and a high level of mortality in all categories. A logical consequence of this is a small number of produced porkers per sow, mostly of poor quality. In conditions where there are many diseases of different etiology, their control is complex and consequences always connected to a reduction or complete annulment of the expected benefits from an animal of high genetic potential veterinary-medical protection must cede its place to health protection as a technology which is based on a policy of disease prevention. This implies the establishment and maintenance of a high health status in swine herds with a clear definition of special criteria for elite, reproductive and production herds. The mentioned concept requires a well-prepared, organized and equipped veterinary service, in which relations are adequately coordinated and tasks are well distributed among experts on farms, in specialized institutions, faculties, and inspection services.