Abstract
Specific anatomy of the porcine stomach results in a high risk of ulceration in the pars oesophagea. A fully developed ulcer leads to intermittent gastrointestinal bleeding followed by clinical symptoms of chronic pain; thus, gastric ulceration in pigs causes significant production losses and serious welfare problems. Nowadays, gastric ulceration is common in domestic pigs throughout the world, but a great deal of attention has been directed at finishers. This paper was intended to provide new data on the prevalence of the disease in commercially reared highly prolific sows. The study was carried out on 329 culled sows from four commercial farms located in Northern Poland. The severity of gross pathological lesions of pars oesophagea was assigned to grade 0 (no lesions), 1 (parakeratosis), 2 (erosion), or 3 (gastric ulceration with or without stenosis) by a veterinary practitioner. Abattoir analysis revealed 66.6% of sows’ stomachs with some degree of alterations. Gastric ulceration was detected in 45.5% of examined organs. Parakeratosis and erosion were found in 1.2 and 15.8% of stomachs, respectively. The investigation did not find any oesphageal strictures. Our investigation of the problem in high health status hyper-prolific sows showed the lowest prevalence of gastric lesions (i.e., ulcerative and preulcerative alterations collectively) compared to earlier studies but the highest percentage of gastric ulcers. The results indicate that gastric ulcers may be a highly prevalent and underestimated welfare issue in sows in modern pig production, worth further studies focusing on particular risk factors related to feeding, genetics, management issues, and sows longevity.
Highlights
In contrast to other monogastric animal species, gastric lesions in pigs almost exclusively occur in the pars oesophagea, a relatively small region located around the oesophageal opening and lined by stratified squamous epithelium, which does not contain glands
Gross pathological lesions of the pars oesophagea in pigs range from parakeratosis to erosion, and eventually deep ulceration [1]
The disease is known in all major pig producing countries [2,3] and causes undisputable welfare problems; a fully developed gastric ulcer leads to intermittent gastrointestinal bleeding followed by clinical signs of chronic anaemia and pain, or acute haemorrhage causing sudden death and may lead to significant economic losses in a herd [4,5,6]
Summary
In contrast to other monogastric animal species (except the squamous region of the horse’s stomach), gastric lesions in pigs almost exclusively occur in the pars oesophagea, a relatively small region located around the oesophageal opening and lined by stratified squamous epithelium, which does not contain glands. Such a specific microanatomy of the area is a reason for a complete lack of innate capability of buffering the negative impact of irritating stomach content or other noxious stimuli. Figures regarding the prevalence of gastric lesions in sows in Poland have still not been brought out
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
