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Title: HERD AND LITTER LEVEL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCIDENCE OF SCOURS MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN PIGLETS 1 TO 3 DAYS OF AGE

Author
item WITTUM THOMAS E - 5438-01-35
item DEWEY CATHERINE - UNIV. OF NE, GPVEC
item HURD H SCOTT - USDA, APHIS, VS
item DARGATZ DAVID A - USDA, APHIS, VS
item HILL GEORGE W - USDA, APHIS, VS

Submitted to: Swine Health and Production
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/6/1994
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: We used National Swine Survey data collected by the National Animal Health Monitoring System to identify litter and herd level factors associated with the risk of scours morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets. A total of 28,266 litters in 703 herds monitored for producer- observed health events during 1990 were included in the analysis. Information collected from producer questionnaires and individual sow diary cards were used to develop risk factors for the analysis. The average rate of scours morbidity among 1- to 3-day-old piglets was 1 new case per day for a producer with an average inventory of 100 piglets. Scours mortality averaged approximately 1 death every 10 days for the same size producer. Both scours morbidity and mortality were significantly lower among herds that vaccinated sows against Escherichia coli. The risk of both scours morbidity and mortality was higher among litters in which the sow experienced health problems while in the farrowing facility. This suggests that the use of E. coli vaccines, along with careful observation of the postpartum sow for health problems and appropriate intervention practices might reduce the occurrence of scours morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets.

Technical Abstract: We used National Swine Survey data collected by the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) to identify litter and herd level factors associated with the risk of scours morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets. A total of 28,266 litters in 703 herds monitored for producer-observed health events during 1990 were included in our analysis. The average rate of scours morbidity among 1- to 3-day-old piglets was approximately 1 new case per day for a producer with an average inventory of 100 piglets. Scours mortality averaged approximately 1 death every 10 days for the same size producer. Both scours morbidity and mortality were lower among herds that vaccinated sows against Escherichia coli. The risk of scours morbidity and mortality was higher among litters in which the sow experienced health problems while in the farrowing facility. This suggests that the use of E. coli vaccines, along with careful observation of the postpartum sow for health problems and appropriate intervention practices, might reduce the occurrence of scours morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets.