Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of the present study was to explore the benefits of Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) blanket vaccination in a sow herd on productive parameters, PCV-2 infection and immune status in sows and their progeny. For this purpose, 288 sows were distributed among four balanced experimental groups. One group remained as negative control group and the other three received 1 mL of PCV-2 Ingelvac Circoflex® intramuscularly at different productive cycle moments: before mating, mid gestation (42–49 days post-insemination) or late gestation (86–93 days post-insemination); phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was used as negative control item. Reproductive parameters from sows during gestation and body weight of their progeny from birth to weaning were recorded. Additionally, blood was collected from sows at each vaccination time and piglets at 3 weeks of age. Moreover, up to 4 placental umbilical cords (PUC) per sow were taken at peri-partum. Sera from sows and piglets were analysed for PCV-2 antibody detection using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sera from sows and PUC were tested to quantify viraemia using a real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay.ResultsGlobally, results indicated that vaccinated sows showed heavier piglets at birth and at weaning, less cross-fostered piglets, lower viral load at farrowing as well as in PUC, and higher antibody levels at farrowing, compared to non-vaccinated ones. When all groups were compared among them, sows vaccinated at mid or late gestation had heavier piglets at birth than non-vaccinated sows, and lower proportion of PCV-2 positive PUC. Also, cross-fostering was less frequently practiced in sows vaccinated at pre-mating or mid gestation compared to non-vaccinated ones.ConclusionsIn conclusion, the present study points out that PCV-2 sow vaccination at different time points of their physiological status (mimicking blanket vaccination) offers benefits at production and serological and virological levels.

Highlights

  • The objective of the present study was to explore the benefits of Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) blanket vaccination in a sow herd on productive parameters, PCV-2 infection and immune status in sows and their progeny

  • PCV-2 antibody values in serum samples of sows and piglets PCV-2 IgG and IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) optical density (OD) values of sows Sow blood samples collected at the three vaccine/phosphate buffered saline (PBS) application times as well as at farrowing were used to determine the dynamics of IgG antibodies against PCV2 (Fig. 1)

  • No statistically significant differences between sows vaccinated at mid (V mid gestation (MG)) and late (V late gestation (LG)) nor between sows vaccinated at pre-mating (V PM) and V MG group were observed

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Summary

Introduction

The objective of the present study was to explore the benefits of Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2) blanket vaccination in a sow herd on productive parameters, PCV-2 infection and immune status in sows and their progeny. For this purpose, 288 sows were distributed among four balanced experimental groups. Pigs may be born PCV-2 viraemic due to transplacental infection that may subsequently act as an infection focus for their pen mates All these situations imply that infected sows have a very important role in PCV-2 infection maintenance and dissemination in the herd due to horizontal and vertical infection transmission

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