What diseases do pigs get in spring? Be sure to pay attention to prevention and control

In spring, temperatures rise slowly, and abnormal weather sometimes occurs, with sudden cold and heat, making it easy to catch colds. When spring arrives, all things renew, and bacteria and viruses breed easily, while livestock and poultry that have survived the cold winter are often thinner, with weakened immunity and disease resistance, so every year at the turn of winter and spring, animals are prone to disease and death (the so-called “spring outbreak”). In the case of pigs, common diseases include swine fever, paratyphoid, piglet edema disease, yellow scour, white scour, transmissible gastroenteritis, asthma, colds, piglet hypoglycemia and mange. These dozen or so diseases are common in spring, and prevention and control must be given attention.

1. Swine fever:

Implement a reasonable immunization program. In areas where the disease commonly occurs (non-safe areas), piglets can receive immunization (intramuscular injection of 1-2 doses per piglet after birth, then colostrum feeding 1-2 hours later), followed by a second immunization at two months of age (2 doses per piglet). In safe areas, a single immunization at two months of age can be carried out. If some farms give the first immunization at three weeks of age, another immunization should be given at two months of age. Breeding sows are immunized once each in spring and autumn; replacement gilts are immunized once 20 days before mating; breeding boars, after completing immunization during the piglet stage, are immunized once each in spring and autumn every year.

2. Piglet colibacillosis:

Early-onset colibacillosis (piglet yellow scour) is mostly seen at 1-3 days of age. Late-onset colibacillosis (piglet white scour) is more common at 2-3 weeks of age. Piglet edema disease (red eye disease) mostly occurs in plump piglets around weaning. All three diseases above are caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli. Management of pregnant sows and lactating pigs, cleanliness and hygiene, and dry pens should be strengthened. Cold protection and warmth preservation should be carried out. Sows should be injected with colibacillosis vaccine 15-30 days before farrowing (see the instructions for specific usage), and piglets should be given supplemental feed at seven days and pass the “three hurdles” well (colostrum hurdle, first feed hurdle, weaning hurdle). Treatment of affected piglets should use comprehensive therapy such as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial treatment, antidiarrheal treatment, cardiac support, and fluid replacement.

3. Piglet paratyphoid (Salmonella disease)

It mostly occurs in piglets over 1 month of age and around 20 kg, and is common in winter and spring, closely related to extensive feeding and management. After weaning (1 month of age), piglets should be vaccinated against paratyphoid. Piglets should be protected from cold and moisture, raised in batches (with suitable density), fed small meals more frequently, fed evenly and fully, not suddenly switched to different feed, and attention should be paid to supplementing minerals and vitamins.

4. Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED)

Commonly known as winter dysentery, both are viral infections and occur as transient epidemics, often in early spring. The main signs are gray cement-like diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. Adult pigs rarely die, while the mortality rate of piglets under 10 days of age reaches 50%-100%. There is no ideal vaccine yet. After the disease occurs, attention should be paid to replenishing water (10 kg, 1 liang of salt, half a jin of glucose, fed orally), and disinfecting the pig house. At ordinary times, pay attention to warmth preservation, clean drinking water, and small meals more frequently.

5. Asthma (mycoplasma pneumonia)

It is a chronic respiratory infectious disease caused by mycoplasma (Mycoplasma), with asthma, coughing, and accelerated breathing, no fever and normal appetite, and occasional death in piglets. The lesions are confined to the cardiac lobe, apical lobe, intermediate lobe, and the upper anterior margin of the diaphragmatic lobe of the lungs, showing “meat-like change” or “pancreas-like change” (shrimp-meat change), and confluent bronchopneumonia changes. Preventive vaccines are still in the trial stage. Affected farms should isolate, purify, and establish recovered pig herds. Farms without the disease should pay attention to self-breeding and self-raising, and strengthen feeding and management. For drug prevention, tiamulin, oxytetracycline, or kanamycin can be added to the feed.

6. Colds:

A common disease in spring, mostly due to externally contracted wind-cold, fever, and sometimes diarrhea. Compound aminopyrine can be used to dilute penicillin for injection. At ordinary times, pay attention to cold protection, protection from cold wind, and protection from moisture. Ephedra and Guizhi decoction can be taken orally (decoction of Ephedra, cassia twig, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, licorice, and ginger).

7. Piglet hypoglycemia:

It mostly occurs in newborn piglets in winter and spring. The cause is incomplete nutrition in late pregnancy of sows or no milk after farrowing, resulting in insufficient energy in piglets and triggering a drop in blood sugar. Prevention should focus on feeding sows and piglets and on cold protection and warmth preservation. The seven common spring diseases above often cause massive pig deaths or affect weight gain, and should not be taken lightly. The principle of giving priority to prevention must be implemented, to prevent trouble before it happens and ensure the smooth development of the pig industry.