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Minimize Disease to Maximize Value
Dr. Lawrence FirkinsJuly 31, 2007
Over the past year I have had the opportunity to visit swine farms and meet with pork producers in China, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Philippines. While the environmental conditions, nutritional components, disease status, genetics, and market situations vary somewhat from the US pork industry, many of the same challenges appear to be present everywhere pigs are raised.
Producers worldwide are striving to optimize their financial returns through maximizing the performance of their operations. To accomplish this objective producers must continue to focus on reducing the number of deaths, cull pigs, and lightweight pigs at the time of marketing. One of the strongest predictors of profitability is the percentage of pigs that realize their full value at market.
Respiratory disease continues to be one of the major contributors to the loss of high quality pigs making it to market weight. Respiratory disease decreases average daily gain and feed efficiency while increasing mortality, lightweight pigs, and days to market. There is a long list of potential respiratory pathogens that can be contributing to this situation on any farm. One of the most important aspects is to determine the prevalence of these pathogens on one's farm. It is also important to determine how the impacts of these diseases are connected through all stages of production and then establish the best time for intervention strategies.
One of the keys to increasing the number of full value pigs at market is to get them started correctly at weaning. Respiratory pathogens are always present so one must diagnose and control them early before they cause disease and the pigs performance is decreased. Successful intervention requires a combination of strategies including pig flow, uniform immunity, environmental adjustments, and appropriate timing of medications.
I have heard my friend, Dr. Jim Lowe, frequently use the phrase, "food, water, and a dry place to sleep" to describe the keys to making healthy pigs and improving performance. This concept is nothing new, but it is one I have witnessed being largely ignored in too many systems that have failed to follow this most basic of husbandry standards. Some of the most dramatic ongoing respiratory disease situations I have seen are ones in which these fundamental principles were not followed. Continual overcrowding in the nursery stage will allow these pathogens to thrive.
Capturing the full value of pigs through minimizing the impact of respiratory disease is also a function of the employees working at the production facilities. You can develop the ideal intervention strategies, but implementation of these strategies is going to be dependent on your employees. Getting the people aspect correct in pork production involves listening, asking the right questions, educating, and training so any compliance issues can be overcome. Effective communication is vital to the success of any pathogen reduction program.
I encourage producers to continue to work closely with their veterinarians to accurately identify those respiratory bugs that are impacting production and to develop early intervention strategies that will result in the reduction of pathogens and the increase in the number of pigs reaching market weight.
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