1. Disease
Major
signs
Treatment Prevention Comments
Colibacillosis
(E. coli)
Diarrhoea
(scours);
sudden
death
Fluid therapy;
antibiotics
(I,O,W);
warmth
Improve
hygiene;
vaccinate
sow/gilts;
provide a warm
clean creep area
Coccidiosis may
be involved
Coccidiosis
Diarrhoea
at 10-21
days of age
Fluid therapy;
coccidiostats
Improve
hygiene;
provide a warm,
clean creep area
Overlay /
trauma
Sudden
death
None
Provide a warm,
clean creep
area; check
farrowing crate
design
Starvation
(hypo-
glycaemia)
Weakness;
death
Dextrose
solutions;
supplementary
feeding
Improve sow's
milk supply
Ensure gilts have
adequate
functional teats
Stillbirths Born dead None
Various
methods
Many causes;
consult a
veterinarian
Miscellaneous
infections
Lameness;
sudden
death
Antibiotics (I)
Improve
hygiene; repair
flooring
Infection due to
bacteria; swollen
joints commonly
seen
Exudative
epidermitis
(greasy pig)
Skin
lesions;
death
Antibiotics; skin
protectant;
vitamins
Improve
hygiene;
provide a dry,
warm, clean
creep area;
prevent skin
abrasions
Staphylococcus
hyicusinfection
2. Table 2. Diseases of the post-weaning period
Disease Major signs Treatment Prevention Comment
Colibacillosis
(E. coli)
Diarrhoea;
sudden
death
Fluid
therapy;
antibiotics
Vaccinate;
improve
hygiene;
provide
warmth for
weaners;
reduce stress
at weaning
A common and
expensive problem
Respiratory
disease
Coughing;
sneezing;
reduced
growth rate;
sometimes
death
Antibiotics
(I,W,F);
improved
ventilation
and
environme
nt
Improve
ventilation;
reduce
stocking
density;
reduce stress;
antibiotics;
vaccinate
Enzootic
pneumonia;pleuropneum
onia;
pasteurellosis; Glasser's
disease; Streptococcus
suis
Swine
dysentery
Diarrhoea
with blood;
diarrhoea;
reduced
growth
rates; death
Antibiotics
(I,W,F);
reduced
stocking
density
Improve
hygiene;
antibiotics (F)
Avoid purchasing
infected pigs; control
rodents
Proliferative
enteropathy
(PE)(ileitis)
Diarrhoea
with blood;
diarrhoea;
reduced
growth rate;
sudden
death
Antibiotics
(I,W,F);
iron;
vitamin B
Antibiotics
(F)
Three main syndromes
affecting different aged
pigs
Sarcoptic
mange
Itching;
dermatitis;
rubbing;
scratching;
reduced
growth rate
Miticidal
sprays;
pour-ons;
injection
and in-feed
premix
Strategically
treat breeder
pigs and
weaners/grow
ers
May go unnoticed in a
herd; may add to
pneumonia problems;
pigs of all ages can be
affected
Intestinal
torsion
Sudden
death
Diet
manipulati
on
None
A common cause of
death in some herds
3. Table 2. Diseases of the post-weaning period
Disease Major signs Treatment Prevention Comment
Gastric
ulceration
Loss of
appetite;
vomiting;
death
Rarely
effective
Manipulate
diet, including
feed
coarseness;
reduce stress;
reduce disease
Probably feed and
disease related; can affect
pigs of any age
Erysipelas
Arthritis;
skin lesions;
reduced
growth rate;
condemnatio
ns at
slaughter
Antibiotics
(I)
Vaccinate
Most losses occur
between two and six
months of age
Internal
parasites(wor
ms)
Diarrhoea;
reduced
growth rate;
pneumonia
Parasiticid
es in-feed
or
injection
Parasiticides
Roundworm; whipworm;
kidney worm
Exudative
epidermitis
(greasy pig)
Skin lesions;
death
Antibiotics
; skin
protectant;
vitamins
Improve
hygiene;
provide a dry,
warm, clean
weaner pen;
prevent skin
abrasions
Staphylococcus
hyicusinfection
Table 3. Diseases of breeder pigs
Disease Major signs Treatment Prevention Comment
Farrowing
sickness
(mastitis,
metritis,
agalactia -
MMA)
Reduced milk
production; loss
of appetite; higher
body temperature
Antibiotics
(I,W,F);
oxytocin; anti-
inflammatory
drugs
Reduce feeding
prior to
farrowing;
ensure good
hygiene in
farrowing crate;
reduce stress on
sows
Reduces
number of
pigs weaned
per sow;
infection due
to bacteria
4. Table 3. Diseases of breeder pigs
Disease Major signs Treatment Prevention Comment
Lameness
Premature culling;
reduced herd
fertility
Rarely
effective
Improve floor
design; control
erysipelas;
prevent injuries;
reduce
conformation
defects
Regularly
check
breeder pigs
for leg
lesions
Porcine
parvovirus
Mummification;
returns to service;
stillborn and
weak-born piglets
None Vaccinate
Endemic and
epidemic
forms of this
disease;
fewer pigs
sold per sow
a year
Vaginal
discharge
syndrome
Reproductive tract
infections
Antibiotics
(I,W,F);
antibiotic
treatment of
boar's prepuce
Cull affected
animals;
improve
hygiene of
mating pens and
dry-sow shed
Caused by
bacteria and
poor hygiene
Bladder
infection
(cystitis)
Kidney
infection
Blood-stained
urine
Reluctance to
stand; sudden
death
Antibiotics
(I,W,F)
Antibiotic
infection of
boar's prepuce
Antibiotics
Increase water
intake; improve
hygiene in dry
sow shed
Boars
transmit
bacteria to
sows and
gilts at
mating
Leptospirosis
Stillborn or
weakborn pigs;
abortion; returns
to service
Antibiotics
(I,W,F)
Vaccinate
Can also
affect
humans
Erysipelas
Abortions;
reproductive
failure
Antibiotics
(I,W,F)
Vaccinate
Can also
cause
arthritis and
skin lesions
Gastric torsion
(see intestinal
torsion)
Sudden death None
Feed twice or
three times per
day; do not
Commonly
seen when
level of
5. Table 3. Diseases of breeder pigs
Disease Major signs Treatment Prevention Comment
overfeed hungry
pigs
feeding is
increased
Gastric ulcers
Loss of appetite;
vomiting;
depraved appetite;
blood in dung;
sudden death
Antibiotics (I);
wet feed
Investigate feed,
fineness, crude
fibre and
vitamin
E/selenium;
reduce stress
Can occur in
pigs of any
age
Parasites in Swine
Parasites have been a problem for livestock producers for as long as there has been livestock.
These parasites can cause economic loss to the producer in many ways including: decrease
feed efficiency, increase time to market, and decrease carcass value. With modern swine
rearing techniques, the emphasis on swine parasites has shifted toward three internal parasites
and one external one. The internal parasites include the large roundworm (Ascaris suum), the
whipworm (Trichuris suis), and the nodular worm (Oesophagostomum spp.). The major external
parasite of concern is mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis).
Large Roundworm
Ascaris suum is the most common parasite in modern swine operations with approximately 70-
80% of facilities infected. This parasite is also the largest one measuring in length more than
eight inches during its adult form. The adult lives in the small intestine where it swims against
the flow of the intestinal contents. They can sometimes migrate into the pigs stomach where
they cause the host to vomit both feed and worms. These worms compete for nutrients in the
intestine which leads to one form of their economic damage. This can be as much as $5.56 in
additional feed cost per animal during heavy infections.
A single female can lay up to one million eggs a day. These eggs can remain viable in the
environment for up to thirty years. They become infective 10 days after being laid. Then they
can be swallowed by a host allowing larvae to be released which migrates through the intestinal
wall, travels via the blood stream to the liver and then to the lungs. Ascaris suum are then
coughed up, swallowed and return to the intestines to complete their live cycle. The entire
process takes approximately seven to eight weeks to complete. Major damage can be caused
6. by the larvae as they migrate through the liver and lungs. During the liver migration white scar
lesions are formed which are commonly referred to as "milk spots". The lung migration makes
the host animal more susceptible to respiratory problems such as mycoplasma and viral
pneumonias.
Whipworm
Trichuris suis can be isolated from approximately 30-40% of swine farms in the United States. It
can infect animals at any age, but is often associated with scour problems in the grower animals
that are between 50-100 pounds. Whipworm infection can be the most economically devastating
common parasite with heavy infections costing up to $13.76 per animal due to decreased feed
efficiency and weight gain. A possible sign of infected animals is several poor doing animals
within a group of animals that appear to be growing normally.
The adult worm is about two inches long and lives in the cecum where it burrows into the cecal
and intestinal wall disrupting nutrient absorption and allowing secondary bacterial and viral
infections to infect the host. The females lay eggs that are past in the feces and can become
infective in approximately three weeks. These eggs are also very hardy and can last in the
environment up to ten years. Another pig ingests the infective egg which then hatches into a
larvae and travel to the cecum to become an adult and start the cycle all over again.
Nodular Worms
Oesophagostomum spp. are about an inch long when they reach their adult stage in the large
intestine. This parasite is most common in herds where sows are outside during their gestation
period or are in heavily bedded areas. The eggs of the nodular worm, which are passed in
feces, are not as hardy as those of the roundworm and whipworm. They require bedding,
manure, or some other form of protection from desiccation. When conditions are right the egg
will form a larvae within a week that can then be swallowed by a pig. The larvae migrate to the
large intestine and burrow into the walls forming nodules. This can decrease feed efficiency
costing up to $3.69 per animal.
Infected pigs may have diarrhea, decreased appetite and poor weight gain. Piglets as young as
two to three week of age can be infected leading to a grayish-yellow diarrhea. This problem can
be corrected by treating infected sows and improving the hygiene of the farrowing crates.
Mange
Sarcoptes scabiei var. suis is a mite that lives in the skin of swine and has been declared the
most common disease in both breeding and farrow to finish pigs. The mite burrows through the
skin layers digesting and consuming the tissue as it goes. Transmission is most often via direct
animal to animal contact with natural service boar use being an excellent way to pass the mite
throughout a herd. Infected animals have thickened and reddened skin around the ears,
shoulders, stomach, and between the legs. Animals will also scratch to the point of skin damage
which can allow secondary bacterial infections to occur. This scratching can become so intense
that infected animals may damage the facilities they are being kept in such as the farrowing
crates.
Treatment
7. A veterinarian should be contacted to conduct fecal studies at least once a year on your herd.
This can determine what parasites are prevalent within your herd and which deworming
medications would be best to control any problems that may exist. A treatment/prevention
program should be tailored to your facilities which will provide you with the most protection for
the unit cost. Depending on the farms parasite status and facilities, it can cost a few dollars up
to forty dollars per year for each sow and her offspring to control parasites. Producers will
always have to deal with parasites, the key is to figure out the most cost affective way to do this.
