Commercial Pig Farms Research Articles

Angiotensin II Blood Serum Levels in Piglets, after Intra-Dermal or Intra-Muscular Vaccination against PRRSV.

Simple SummaryPorcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection causes massive financial losses in pig production worldwide. Vaccination is still the most cost-effective tool to handle PRRSV infection. PRRSV induces apoptosis in different organs. Angiotensin II (Ang II) participates in the inflammatory response, cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The objective of the current study was to assess the concentration of Ang II in the serum of piglets following immunization against PRRSV through intradermal (ID) or intramuscular (IM) vaccination with a commercial PRRS modified live virus (MLV) vaccine. The results indicated differences in viremia of tested piglets at 7 weeks of age, while piglets at 10 weeks of age were all found qRT-PCR positive for PRRSV. Moreover, significant differences were noticed in Ang II in 7-week-old piglets. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that ID vaccination induces less tissue damage, based on the lower measurements of Ang II in the serum of ID vaccinated piglets.The Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) induces apoptosis in different organs. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is the main effector of the renin-angiotensin system and participates in apoptosis. Thus, this study aimed to investigate changes in piglet serum Ang II levels following intradermal (ID) and intramuscular (IM) vaccination with a commercial PRRS modified live virus (MLV) vaccine. The trial was conducted in a commercial pig farm, including 104 piglets which were randomly allocated to four groups: Group A—Porcilis PRRS ID, Group B—Porcilis PRRS IM, Group C—Diluvac ID and Group D—Diluvac IM. The study piglets were either vaccinated or injected at 2 weeks of age and they were tested by qRT-PCR for PRRSV and by ELISA for Ang II. The results indicated differences in viremia of tested piglets at 7 weeks of age, while piglets at 10 weeks of age were all found qRT-PCR positive for PRRSV. In addition, significant differences were noticed in Ang II in 7-week-old piglets. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that ID vaccination induces less tissue damage, based on the lower measurements of Ang II in the serum of ID vaccinated piglets.

Genetic Associations of Novel Behaviour Traits Derived from Social Network Analysis with Growth, Feed Efficiency, and Carcass Characteristics in Pigs

Reducing harmful aggressive behaviour remains a major challenge in pig production. Social network analysis (SNA) showed the potential in providing novel behavioural traits that describe the direct and indirect role of individual pigs in pen-level aggression. Our objectives were to (1) estimate the genetic parameters of these SNA traits, and (2) quantify the genetic associations between the SNA traits and commonly used performance measures: growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, and carcass traits. The animals were video recorded for 24 h post-mixing. The observed fighting behaviour of each animal was used as input for the SNA. A Bayesian approach was performed to estimate the genetic parameters of SNA traits and their association with the performance traits. The heritability estimates for all SNA traits ranged from 0.01 to 0.35. The genetic correlations between SNA and performance traits were non-significant, except for weighted degree with hot carcass weight, and for both betweenness and closeness centrality with test daily gain, final body weight, and hot carcass weight. Our results suggest that SNA traits are amenable for selective breeding. Integrating these traits with other behaviour and performance traits may potentially help in building up future strategies for simultaneously improving welfare and performance in commercial pig farms.

Effects of High Concentration Nitrogen Gas Stunning of Pigs on the Quality Traits of Meat and Small Intestine.

Simple SummaryTo satisfy consumer demand, it is necessary to ensure the quality of the meat and small intestine of animals. For consideration of animal welfare and to obtain an adequate quality of the meat and small intestine, animals need to be stunned to minimize anxiety, pain, distress, or suffering. Electric stunning and exposure to a high concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) are common stunning methods in the meat industry. However, both methods have some limitations. Pale color and a higher tendency of ecchymosis is the common feature in electric-stunned pigs’ meat. Exposure to higher concentration of carbon dioxide induces high aversion, irritation of nasal mucosal membranes, and severe respiratory distress causing hyperventilation and breathlessness in pigs. Hypercapnia, hyperglycemia, lactic acidosis, and an increased hematocrit also occur in pigs. To reducing the negative impacts of CO2, inert gases (i.e., Argon and N2) are sometimes mixed with CO2. But, the amount of Argon in the atmosphere is very negligible (0.93%) and Argon has a high cost in the market. To maintain hypercapnic–hypoxia and improve stability, a higher concentration of N2 has sometimes been mixed with CO2 and used in pig stunning. But, no trial has used only high concentration of nitrogen in the stunning of animals, while maintaining a hypoxic condition (less than 2% O2 in atmosphere). Our study involved conducting a trial on electricity, CO2 (80%), and high concentrations of nitrogen (98%) in the stunning of pigs and comparing the meat and small intestine quality traits. Findings show that the meat and small intestine quality of N2 (98%)-stunned pigs was favorable compared to the other treatment groups.The objective of present study was to investigate the feasibility of utilizing only high concentration of nitrogen gas in the stunning of pigs and its effects on the quality traits of the meat and small intestine.To conduct this experiment, three treatment groups were compared: (i) electric stunning (T1), (ii) CO2 (80%) gas stunning (T2), and (iii) N2 (98%) gas stunning (T3). A total of 21 standard pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; LYD) were collected from a commercial pig farm, randomly selecting seven pigs for each group (body weight of 104.5 to 120.6 kg). For stunning, each individual pig was separately kept in a gas chamber, after which each specific gas was used to fulfill the desired level in the pit. To obtain the desired level of concentration for each gas (N2 at 98% and CO2 at 80%), approximately 80 min and 35 min were required, respectively. It was observed that after reaching the desired level of concentration, pigs were stunned within a very short time (for CO2, 90 s and for N2, 120 s). For electric stunning, standard quality electric devices were used. After slaughtering, the meat and small intestine of each animal was collected separately and kept in a cool room where temperature was −2 °C. In the meat and small intestine, L* (Lightness) and b* (Yellowness) were high (p < 0.05) in the T1 and T3 groups. The T2 group showed high a* (Redness) (p < 0.05) values in both the meat and small intestine. A proximate composition of meat showed no significant differences except moisture. The water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of meat were lowest in the T2 group, but not at a notable difference compared to T3. In the small intestine, L* (Lightness), a* (Redness), b* (Yellowness), and thickness significantly differed (p < 0.05) in each group, but WBSF showed no significance between the T2 and T3 groups. It is concluded that a high concentration of N2 gas (98%) may be considered in the stunning of pigs, and its effect on meat and small intestine is favorable.

Efecto de la suplementación de probióticos naturales y comerciales sobre el rendimiento productivo de cuyes en crecimiento

The effect of supplementation of natural and commercial probiotics on the productive performance of growing guinea pigs was evaluated. 48-weaned male guinea pigs from the Peru breed were used. Weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion,and carcass yield were determined. A completely randomized design with four treatments, six repetitions per treatment and two animals per repetition was used. The treatments were T1: Control Diet (CD); T2: CD + Natural Probiotic (NP) (2 ml); T3: CD + Commercial Probiotic(CP) (2 ml) and T4: CD + NP (1 ml) + CP (1 ml). The NP contained: Bacillus pumilus,Lactobacillusfrumenti, Streptococcus thoraltensis, Lactobacillus johnsoni, and the CP: Lactobacilus rihamnosusand Enterococci faecium. Nosignificant differences (p &gt; 0,05) were found in the determined parameters; however, there were trendstowardhigher feed intakeand higherweight gain in guinea pigs of T3, better feed conversion in T4,and the highest carcass performance (p &lt; 0,05) was presented in T2. The supplementation with CP tends to improve the productive performance of growing guinea pigs, with the exception of the carcass performance that improves with the supplementation of the NP.These results will serve as the basis for the use of probiotics in commercial guinea pig farms.

Method to Assess Farm-Level Vaccine and Antibiotic Usage Utilizing Financial Documentation: A Pilot Study in a Commercial Pig Farm in South Africa From 2016 to 2018.

The purpose of the study was to develop a blueprint using financial documentation to describe and quantify vaccine and antibiotic usage (ABU). This method was piloted in a commercial pig farm in South Africa, with the ultimate hope to serve as a tool in a future species-specific vaccine and ABU surveillance system. Data collection was based on templates from the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) network and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Invoices from 2016 to 2018 were used as the main data source. In addition, monthly statement of accounts were used to check for missing invoices. An inventory check was done to ensure that the correct antibiotic concentrations were used in subsequent calculations. Livestock counts and slaughter statistics were also collected to be used as denominator data. Cost calculations for the procurement of antibiotics and vaccines were also done. The study showed that veterinary medicinal products were purchased only from a single veterinary practice. A total of 291 invoices were issued over 3 years, of which 2.75% (8/291) were missing and could therefore not be used in quantification. Tetracyclines (453.65 ± 25.49 kg and 135.16 ± 3.31 mg/kg), followed by quinoxalines (258.33 ± 8.04 kg and 77.07 ± 3.93 mg/kg) were used in the highest amounts, both in terms of weight (kg) and adjusted for animal biomass (mg/kg). Vaccines used on the farm targeted seven different diseases, namely enzootic pneumonia, erysipelas, ileitis, infectious infertility, leptospirosis, neonatal pig diarrhea and porcine circovirus disease. An average of 103 546 vaccine dosages was purchased for ZAR1 302,727 ($ 84,6201) per year, whereas the average cost for the procurement of antibiotics was ZAR 907,372 ($ 69,561) per year. The study showed that invoices and monthly statement of accounts, in combination with an inventory check and on-farm production statistics, are useful data sources to quantify vaccine and ABU in the absence of veterinary prescriptions. In addition, vaccinating pigs were more expensive than administering antibiotics.

A Survey of Neonatal Piglet Mortality in Commercial Pig Farms in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria

Neonatal piglet mortality (NPM) up to seven days of life causes major pig production losses worldwide. A structured questionnaire survey was administered on 151 pig farmers in Lagos State, Nigeria, for information on NPM on their farms. Subsequently, Focus Group Discussions and In-depth interviews were carried out to clarify the points that appeared not to have been sufficiently addressed by questionnaire respondents. Accruing data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions. Of all the151 respondent farmers, 66.9% were males and 76.8% were above 45years of age, herd sizes were 1-100 pigs (50.3%), 101-200 pigs (32.5%), over 200 pigs (17.2%) representing small, medium, and large scale producers respectively. General management practices of the farmers were rated as good (42.5%) or poor (57.5%).The overall NPM was40.2%.Of this, 90.1% occurred during the rainy season months with the highest rate (62.9%) being recorded in the month with the lowest mean ambient temperature. Farmers’ identified the causes of NPM as diarrhoea (42.4%), starvation (27.2%), crushing (23.8%), congenital abnormalities (3.3%) and unknown cause (3.3%).The major clinical signs that farmers observed in neonatal piglets were diarrhoea (92.1%), respiratory distress (7.3%) and failure to suckle (9.4%). Care of new born (CNB) was rated as poor in 70.9%and good in 29.1% of the farms, while management of pregnant pigs (MPP) was adjudged poor on 66.2% and good on 33.8% of the farms. Significantly, CNB (p&lt;0.001), MPP (p&lt;0.001), feeding and watering (p&lt;0.001) and production practice (p&lt;0.007) were negatively correlated with NPM while Farmer’s experience (p&lt;0.009) was positively correlated with NPM. The study highlighted the need for the institution of improved protocols for MPP, farrowing and CNB in order to minimise NPM on the farms.

Securing the pig farmgate? Biosecurity, affects and pathological atmospheres

AbstractFaced with infectious disease threats, the global pork industry and the state have prioritised biosecurity in order to maintain porcine proliferation. Techniques such as good sanitation and surveillance are deemed necessary to ensure animal health. Rooted in germ theory, biosecurity regards disease as an incursion of pathogens from the outside. By drawing distinctions between healthy and diseased bodies, biosecurity regimes appear to represent an anthropocentric desire to control life through spatial enclosure. However, recent work on health geographies has revealed that health is a multifaceted configuration of changing relationships that often escape the purview of biosecurity. Critical studies have pointed out that the management of animal health relies less on any uniform understanding of disease and more on situated veterinary knowledge. This paper seeks to extend this body of work by emphasising inter‐species bodily encounters and earthly elements of the weather‐world. To elucidate this, I draw on recent research into atmosphere and affect, thereby developing the idea of pathological atmospheres. With reference to ethnographical work conducted in veterinary laboratories and commercial pig farms in Taiwan, I point out that a vet's situated expertise is conditioned by their ability to sense and respond to the atmospheric milieu in which they are immersed.

Effect of an Antioxidant Supplement Combination on Boar Sperm.

Simple SummaryBoar spermatozoa can be exposed to many harmful factors. The low antioxidant capacity of spermatozoa makes them susceptible to reactive oxygen species. The protection of spermatozoa from these harmful effects lies in the seminal plasma, which is enriched by antioxidant enzymes. This study aimed to measure the antioxidant status of boar seminal plasma, and to determine spermatozoa DNA status, and the total number of motile spermatozoa after the concurrent joint application in the boars’ diet of two commercial products with antioxidative potential.The study was conducted on a commercial pig farm located in Serbia. Thirty Duroc or Landrace breed boars were randomly selected for this study. The experimental group was fed a compound feed with added organic selenium and Oxynat 3D. The antioxidant status parameters of boar seminal plasma were evaluated using a biochemical analyzer and commercial Randox kits. The sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) using flow cytometry (FC) provided information about spermatozoa’s DNA status. Additionally, the total number of motile spermatozoa and spermatozoa kinematic parameters were measured using the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. The aim of this study was to improve the parameters of semen by combining two preparations that have a potential antioxidant effect, but also to establish the level of various antioxidant enzymes in native sperm. There was no statistically significant difference in total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity in the seminal plasma obtained from the experimental and control groups of boars. Regarding the superoxide dismutase activity, the research results showed a difference in the control group compared to the experimental one. Moreover, spermatozoa DNA fragmentation and the total number of motile spermatozoa showed statistically significant lower and higher values, respectively, in experimental compared to the control groups. The combination of these two preparations shows significantly enhanced vital parameters of semen. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first in which the ejaculate parameters were examined after the application of a combination of these two antioxidant supplements.

Revisiting the Transcriptome Landscape of Pig Embryo Implantation Site at Single-Cell Resolution.

Litter size is one of the most economically important traits in commercial pig farming. It has been estimated that approximately 30% of porcine embryos are lost during the peri-implantation period. Despite rapid advances over recent years, the molecular mechanism underlying embryo implantation in pigs remains poorly understood. In this study, the conceptus together with a small amount of its surrounding endometrial tissues at the implantation site was collected and subjected to single-cell RNA-seq using the 10x platform. Because embryo and maternal endometrium were genetically different, we successfully dissected embryonic cells from maternal endometrial cells in the data according to single nucleotide polymorphism information captured by single-cell RNA-seq. Undoubtedly, the interaction between trophoblast cells and uterine epithelial cells represents the key mechanism of embryo implantation. Using the CellChat tool, we revealed cell-cell communications between these 2 cell types in terms of secreted signaling, ECM-receptor interaction and cell-cell contact. Additionally, by analyzing the non-pregnant endometrium as control, we were able to identify global gene expression changes associated with embryo implantation in each cell type. Our data provide a valuable resource for deciphering the molecular mechanism of embryo implantation in pigs.

IVERSAN, DOKTIL AND MACRODOX 200 FOR ASCARIASIS, STRONGYLOIDOSIS AND OESOPHAGOSTOMIASIS OF PIGS

In a commercial pig farm, unfavorable for ascariasis, strongyloidosis and oesophagostomiasis, researches have been conducted to study the effectiveness of the complex use of the avermectin parasiticide Iversan and the antibiotics Doctil, Macrodox 200. The previously obtained results confirm the relief of migratory forms of bronchopneumonia and enterocolitis of nematode etiology with threetime administration of the drug Iversan solution by the group method with water. But in cases of massive invasions and the subsequent severe course of diseases with complication by bacterial infection, complex therapy of piglets is necessary. Studies have shown that the use of antibiotics Doctil (Doxycycline hydrochloride – a semi-synthetic drug of the tetracycline group + Tylosin tartrate – macrolide) and Macrodox 200 (a similar composition) at intervals of 3 and 5 days after the course of treatment with Iversan, contributes to a faster recovery and optimization of the rehabilitation period. In a clinical study of animals of experimental groups, an improvement in general condition, an increase in appetite, the absence of cough, cessation of diarrhea, as well as a gradual increase in weight gain was noted. Timely prescribed complex therapy of piglets with migratory forms of bronchopneumonia and enterocolitis of ascarian, strongyloid and esophagostomous etiology can significantly reduce the mortality. The group method of prescribing medications with water reduces the risk of stress. The developed treatment regimen, along with veterinary and sanitary measures, should be used in pig breeding enterprises that are disadvantaged by ascariasis, strongyloidosis and oesophagostomiasis.

Molecular detection and genetic analysis of porcine haemoplasmas in commercial pig farms from Thailand reveal a putative novel species.

Haemoplasma is a trivial name for haemotropic Mycoplasma spp., which can attach to the surface of red blood cells leading to deformity and anaemia in a wide range of mammalian animals, including pigs. In Thailand, there is only one study that reported the occurrence of Mycoplasma suis without other haemoplasma species. In this study, we examined the molecular occurrence and genetic diversity of porcine haemoplasmas in Thai domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) from commercial farms using a PCR assay targeting the 16S rRNA gene, DNA sequencing, nucleotide sequence type (ntST) analysis and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 665 blood samples were collected from pigs at thirteen farms located in eight provinces of Thailand during 2019-2020. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and tested by PCR. The frequency of haemoplasma infection was 37.1% (247/665, 95% CI: 33.5%-40.9%) in all pigs. Among 247 PCR positive samples, 194 were sequenced and analysed by nucleotide BLAST, ntST diversity, phylogenetic trees and ntST networks. The results of this genetic analysis indicated that at least four species with 27 nucleotide sequence types (Mycoplasma suis, Mycoplasma parvum, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemosuis and a putative novel species) of porcine haemoplasmas were identified. Thus, it appears that haemoplasmas show a high genetic diversity in the Thai pig population. In addition, a putative novel species was genetically characterized by other markers, namely, the 23S rRNA and RNase P RNA (rnpB) genes. For phylogenetic analysis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemosuis was placed into the Mycoplasma haemofelis group, and the three remaining species were placed into the Mycoplasma suis group in all trees containing the 16S rRNA, 23S rRNA and rnpB genes. Further studies, such as pathobiology and epidemiology, should be conducted to better characterize this putative novel species.

Clinoptilolite (E567), a natural zeolite, inclusion in heavy-pig diets: Effect on the productive performance and gaseous emissions during fattening and manure storage

Intensive pig rearing systems produce several air pollutant emissions, mainly associated with housing and slurry storage. Dietary strategies based on the use of feed additives can effectively mitigate such impacts. This work has been aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of dietary zeolites in mitigating ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from piggery and slurry storage on finishing pig farms. An experimental trial, in which three groups of approximately 500 pigs each were reared, has been carried out on a commercial pig farm. The three groups were fed the same diet, with the addition of 0 g/kg (Z0, control), 10 g/kg (Z1), and 20 g/kg (Z2) of micronized clinoptilolite (E567), respectively. The emissions from housing facilities and the live and slaughtering animal performances, were assessed. In addition, manure samples were collected during the rearing period to evaluate, at a laboratory scale, the NH3, CO2, CH4, and N2O emission potential during the subsequent slurry storage phase prior to land application. The results have shown that the addition of dietary zeolite can be considered a valid strategy to reduce gaseous emissions from pig houses without affecting animal performances or the system’s overall productivity. Treatment Z2 gave the best results and resulted in a 25% and 36% reduction of NH3 and CO2 equivalent emission fluxes, respectively, compared to those recorded for the control. The laboratory- scale experiment revealed no significant effect of dietary clinoptilolite inclusion on NH3 or the greenhouse gas emission potential during slurry storage.

Animal Welfare and the Acknowledgment of Cultural Differences.

Simple SummaryMost pigs worldwide are in modern, commercial, indoor farms. There is debate on whether or not modern pig production systems meet all the needs of the animals. Pigs are able to perceive and feel and have mental capabilities that warrant attention to their welfare. The degree of on-farm animal welfare oversight varies around the world. Science is used to set animal welfare rules. However, science sometimes conflicts with cultural values (ex., religious slaughter). The focus of many animal welfare rules do not address the most significant problems on modern commercial pig farms. We believe that we should use science to determine the animal welfare needs of farm pigs but with a healthy respect for cultural differences in the ethics of animal care. We should also prevent economic neo-colonialism from forcing Western views on other cultures.Pigs are considered sentient beings that have a mental capability that warrants attention to their welfare. Cultural values towards animal welfare differ in world regions. Still, authors have argued for worldwide harmonization of animal welfare rules. At the same time, the focus of many animal welfare rules do not address the most significant problems on modern commercial pig farms. The foci of animal welfare rules are often on space (quantity and quality), acute painful practices, equipment, and caretaker behavior. However, most serious animal welfare issues are related to episodic events such as compromised pigs, lack of appropriately skilled staff, and human behavior (or lack thereof) towards animals. Modern technologies such as image, sound, and building oversight by automated systems can potentially provide better individual pig care. The future should bring us solutions to identify and resolve episodic negative animal welfare events. The other issues of space and painful practices are best improved by using science-based solutions. We propose that science be the key resource to making animal welfare decisions, but with a healthy appreciation and respect for cultural differences in our views of animals and the economic impact of rules. Colonialism is not viewed positively today, and economic neo-colonialism should not be allowed to replace it. Respect for cultural differences should play a role in animal welfare rules within and among countries.

Molecular Epidemic Characteristics and Genetic Evolution of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) in Swine Herds of Shanghai, China.

Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV2) is a crucial swine pathogen and considered a primary causative agent of porcine circovirus-associated diseases (PCVADs), posing a serious economic threat to the swine industry across globe. The world’s biggest agricultural conglomerates have teamed up to create giant commercial pig farms across Shanghai due to the proximity of this region to more affluent lean-pork markets. Since its discovery, PCV2 has displayed extraordinary genetic diversity, and its genome is swiftly evolving through a series of mutations and recombinations. However, limited information on epidemiology, molecular characteristics, vaccine cross-protection, and the co-infection rate of PCV2 with other lethal swine diseases can adversely impact the pig production in the region. To investigate the molecular epidemic characteristics and genetic evolution of PCV2, pigs with doubtful symptoms of PCVADs were sampled from various commercial pig farms with a history of PWMS and/or PDNS across Shanghai from 2014 to 2018. Our results revealed the coexistence of multiple PCV2 genotypes (PCV2b, PCV2e, and PCV2d) among Shanghai pig herds and dominance of PCV2d among them. We also found critical amino acid substitutions in epitope regions of important capsid proteins in PCV2 isolates involved in viral replication and host immune escape. Spotted mutations may favor the prevalence and survival of various PCV2 genotypes despite availability of commercial vaccines. This study also provides insight into the co-infection status of PCV2 with major lethal swine viral diseases such as PPV and PPRSV. Collectively, these investigations will contribute to understanding the molecular epidemiology and evolution of PCV2 across the region.

High stillbirth rate in a swine farm in Vietnam and associated risk factors.

Objective:The information about risk factors for a high stillbirth rate in piglets is inadequate. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine important risk factors for an extremely high stillbirth rate in a commercial pig farm in Vietnam.Materials and Methods:This study included 628 piglets and 45 Landrace × Yorkshire sows. Data including parity number, gestation length (GL), litter size (LS), piglet’s gender, stillbirth, birth order, birth interval (BI), cumulative farrowing duration (CFD), birth weight (BW), crown-rump length (CRL), body mass index, and ponderal index (PI) were collected. To deal with hierarchical data where several piglets might be born from a sow, Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) were used to examine the association between stillbirth and investigated risk factors.Results:The stillbirth rate was 14.3%, and the incidence of stillbirth at the litter level was 68.9%. The final multivariate GLMM selected eight factors, including CFD, BI, CRL, BW, PI, GL, LS, and parity, as significant risk factors for stillbirth in the piglet. CFD >90 min, BI > 30 min, CRL <25 cm, BW <1.0 kg, PI <50, GL <114 days, LS >13, and parity 5–8 were associated with increased stillbirth. The final model explained 50.1% of the variation of stillbirth, in which fixed factors explained 43.6% of the variation.Conclusion:The present study indicated that the stillbirth rate in the investigated pig farm was very high, and several factors simultaneously contributed to the situation. Selection for optimal size and shape of piglets, careful supervision of parturition, and replacement of old sows should be some of the practical approaches to reduce the stillbirth rate.

Assessment of Biogas Production Potential from Commercial Pig Farms in Cambodia

Assessment of Biogas Production Potential from Commercial Pig Farms in Cambodia

Dynamics of the Enteric Virome in a Swine Herd Affected by Non-PCV2/PRRSV Postweaning Wasting Syndrome.

A commercial pig farm with no history of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) or porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) repeatedly reported a significant reduction in body weight gain and wasting symptoms in approximately 20–30% of the pigs in the period between three and six weeks after weaning. As standard clinical interventions failed to tackle symptomatology, viral metagenomics were used to describe and monitor the enteric virome at birth, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 9 weeks of age. The latter four sampling points were 7 days, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks post weaning, respectively. Fourteen distinct enteric viruses were identified within the herd, which all have previously been linked to enteric diseases. Here we show that wasting is associated with alterations in the enteric virome of the pigs, characterized by: (1) the presence of enterovirus G at 3 weeks of age, followed by a higher prevalence of the virus in wasting pigs at 6 weeks after weaning; (2) rotaviruses at 3 weeks of age; and (3) porcine sapovirus one week after weaning. However, the data do not provide a causal link between specific viral infections and the postweaning clinical problems on the farm. Together, our results offer evidence that disturbances in the enteric virome at the preweaning stage and early after weaning have a determining role in the development of intestinal barrier dysfunctions and nutrient uptake in the postweaning growth phase. Moreover, we show that the enteric viral load sharply increases in the week after weaning in both healthy and wasting pigs. This study is also the first to report the dynamics and co-infection of porcine rotavirus species and porcine astrovirus genetic lineages during the first 9 weeks of the life of domestic pigs.

The feasibility of field collected pig oronasal secretions as specimens for the virologic surveillance of Japanese encephalitis virus.

Virologic surveillance of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) relies on collecting pig blood specimens and adult mosquitoes in the past. Viral RNAs extracted from pig blood specimens suffer from low detecting positivity by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The oronasal transmission of the virus has been demonstrated in experimentally infected pigs. This observation suggested oronasal specimens could be useful source in the virus surveillance. However, the role of this unusual route of transmission remains unproven in the operational pig farm. In this study, we explore the feasibility of using pig oronasal secretions collected by chewing ropes to improve the positivity of detection in commercial pig farms. The multiplex genotype-specific RT-PCR was used in this study to determine and compare the positivity of detecting JEV viral RNAs in pig’s oronasal secretions and blood specimens, and the primary mosquito vector. Oronasal specimens had the overall positive rate of 6.0% (95% CI 1.3%–16.6%) (3/50) to 10.0% (95% CI 2.1%–26.5%) (3/30) for JEV during transmission period despite the negative results of all blood-derived specimens (n = 2442). Interestingly, pig oronasal secretions and female Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito samples collected from the same pig farm showed similar viral RNA positive rates, 10.0% (95% CI 2.1%–26.5%) (3/30) and 8.9% (95% CI 2.5%–21.2%) (4/45), respectively (p> 0.05). Pig oronasal secretion-based surveillance revealed the seasonality of viral activity and identified closely related genotype I virus derived from the mosquito isolates. This finding indicates oronasal secretion-based RT-PCR assay can be a non-invasive, alternative method of implementing JEV surveillance in the epidemic area prior to the circulation of virus-positive mosquitoes.

High NH3 deposition in the environs of a commercial fattening pig farm in central south China

Intensive livestock production has been increasing, and has resulted in the emission of more than seven teragram per year of ammonia (NH3) in China in recent years. However, little is known about the fate of the emitted NH3, especially the dry deposition of NH3 in the environs of intensive animal farms. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations of NH3 deposition in the environs of an intensive fattening pig farm were investigated in the central south of China. NH3 concentrations were measured at sites situated 50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 m in the downwind direction from the farm each month from July 2018 to June 2019. The NH3 deposition was calculated based on a bidirectional NH3 exchange model. The monthly NH3 emissions from the pig farm were estimated based on the breeding stock. The annual average NH3 concentrations ranged from 1200 to 14 μg m−3 at the downwind sites within 500 m of the pig farm, exhibiting exponential decay as distance increased. Strong seasonality in NH3 deposition was observed, with the highest season being in the summer and lowest in the winter, and air temperature was found to be an important factor affecting this seasonal variation. The estimated monthly total dry deposition within 500 m of the pig farm ranged from 92 to 1400 kg NH3–N mo−1, which accounted for 4.1%–14% of the total monthly NH3 emissions from the pig farm. The estimated total NH3 emissions and NH3 deposition from the pig farm were 63 000 kg NH3–N yr−1 and 5400 kg NH3–N yr−1, respectively, with the annual average ratio of NH3 deposition to NH3 emission being 8.6%. This study found NH3 deposition around intensive pig farms is high, and determined it as a significant fate of the NH3 emitted from pig farms.

Description of on-farm treatment compliance and risk factors for culling in sows

BackgroundIn commercial pig farming, sick or injured sows are often treated by producers or hired staff. To date, limited quantitative data exists on treatment compliance and the possible effect on sow longevity post-treatment. The objective of the study was to quantify on-farm compliance of treatment selection, frequency, and dosage, as well as to investigate the association between body condition scores (BCS) and other sow-level factors on post-treatment cull risk.ResultsOn-farm treatment records, including culling reason or reason of death up to 6 months post-treatment, production records and sow characteristics were obtained for 134 sows over an 8-week period. Treatment compliance was based on the accuracy of recorded treatments compared to the herd veterinarian’s established treatment guidelines. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models including treatment reason, treatment compliance, BCS, parity, production stage and production metrics, were constructed to investigate associations between those variables and sow culling or death. This study found low compliance for on-farm sow treatment protocols, with only 22.4% (30/134) of the sows receiving correct and complete treatment during the duration of the study. No effect of individual treatment components (drug, dosage, or frequency) on sow culling was observed. A trend for an interaction between treatment compliance and BCS was found, and parity and number of piglets born alive were identified as predictors for sow maintenance in the herd.ConclusionsOn-farm sow treatment compliance was low, resulting in that approximately 80% of the enrolled sows were not treated according to existing guidelines. Non-compliance of treatment guidelines did not seem to affect the risk of culling in treated sows but may have prolonged any associated pain, recovery time and negatively impacted the sow welfare during that time period.