There was an epidemic of diarrhoea affecting pigs of all ages in Italy between May 2005 and June 2006. In 63 herds the cause was confirmed as porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus by electron microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy, pcr and serology. Watery diarrhoea without mucus and blood was usually associated with a reduction of feed consumption. In farrowing-to-weaning herds, diarrhoea affected the sows and suckling piglets, and the mortality in newborn piglets was up to 34 per cent. In growers and fatteners the morbidity ranged from 20 to 80 per cent, but there was either no mortality or it was very low. Depending on the size of the herd and the type of operation, the clinical disease lasted for weeks or months.
Monthly Archives: June 2008
Swine ID Tag is the First Visual Tag to Receive USDA Approval
Digital Angel, an advanced technology company in the field of animal identification and emergency identification solutions, announced that its Destron Fearing unit has received approval from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for Premises Identification Number (PIN) tags for identification of swine entering harvest channels. This is the first instance of a visual livestock identification tag to gain USDA approval. While not intended for use as unique individual animal identification, the new, non-RFID tags, manufactured by Destron Fearing, will provide a valuable tool to enhance the traceability of breeding stock and to support the USDA’s National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
IPVS 2012 location announced
During the closing of the IPVS congress in Durban, South Africa it was announced that Jeju, South Korea will be the location for the 2012 IPVS.
Effect of drinker type on water intake and waste in newly weaned piglets
During the first few days after weaning, pigs often experience BW loss as they adapt to eating solid food. During this time period, they are also known to drink excessively and develop abnormal oral behavior such as belly nosing. The excessive drinking may stem from the piglets’ attempt to satiate hunger through gut fill from a familiar ingestive source. Gut fill through water intake may affect the establishment of feeding behavior. Using drinker devices other than the standard nipple drinker may ease the piglets’ transition at weaning by facilitating the initiation of feeding and preventing the development of behavioral problems such as excessive drinking and belly nosing.
Control of Salmonella in the Pork Production Chain
Salmonellosis is a major food borne disease threat to public health. In Canada, Salmonella is the second most common bacterial food borne pathogen (after Campylobacter) for which swine serve as a reservoir. Salmonella has a complex epidemiology. Despite copious research, there has been little progress in identifying cost-effective interventions for Salmonella on-farm.
AVMA Testifies on Antimicrobial Resistance Before Senate Committee
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) testified on June 24th before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, addressing the preventative use of antimicrobials in food animals and reiterating the necessity of antibiotic use in livestock for ensuring food safety.
Research Abstracts ? June 19 ? 25
The following is a list of research abstracts published recently which may be of interest to swine veterinarians.
People on the Move: Dr. Ricardo Munoz
Dr. Ricardo Munoz is moving from Maine to Austin, Texas, to accept a position as Senior Manager for the Veterinary Services Department at Applied Biosystems. For the past six years, he has been the Global Swine Marketing Manager for IDEXX. Updated contact information for Dr. Munoz is available at http://www.aasv.org/members/only/directory.php. Are you on the move? If so, let us know at aasv@aasv.org.
AVMA PLIT Offers Resource Articles
The AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust (PLIT) has provided AASV with a number of educational articles addressing swine veterinary practice liability and practice management issues. These articles can be found in the Members-only area of the AASV website.
Michigan PRV Update ? June 20, 2008
According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA), as of June 20th four PRV positive transitional swine herds had been identified one of which has been depopulated. PRV positive swine have been found on farms in 3 counties: Saginaw, Gladwin and Cheboygan.