Causes of and Solutions for Diarrhea in Suckling Piglets in Winter

Piglet diarrhea

    As winter approaches, temperatures drop, and with frequent rainy days and high air humidity, suckling piglets are very prone to diarrhea. Through visits and surveys of several pig farms, the main causes of diarrhea in suckling piglets were found to be the following:

    1. Nutritional diarrhea. It is caused by piglets drinking too much milk. The solution is to reduce the sow's feed intake for 1-2 days, while making sure the sow does not become constipated. In addition, piglets can be given oral antibiotics, which can inhibit further development of the disease.

    2. Diarrhea caused by inappropriate temperature and humidity. Temperatures that are too low or air humidity that is too high can both cause diarrhea in suckling piglets. The solution is to pay attention to keeping warm and providing appropriate ventilation, and to keep the air dry.

    3. Bacterial diarrhea. It is generally caused by Escherichia coli and is usually treated with antibiotics. When necessary, sows should be injected with an Escherichia coli vaccine within 2-3 weeks before farrowing.

⟧    4. Viral diarrhea. Viral diarrhea is not easy to treat, and vaccination against infectious gastrointestinal diseases or rotavirus is generally required.

    5. Parasitic diarrhea. It is caused by coccidiosis. Do a good job of environmental sanitation on the pig farm and carry out deworming work properly.

    In recent years, the number of bacteria and viruses harmful to pigs has increased markedly, and many of them can cause diarrhea in piglets. Vaccines can only play a supporting role and cannot solve the problem at its root. From a long-term perspective, we should adopt stricter pig farm management measures: strictly control the number of breeding pig farms from which stock is introduced, ensure strict isolation between the pig farm and nearby areas, strictly follow an all-in, all-out management approach for farrowing and nursery stages, and continuously raise the hygiene standards of the whole farm. These are all rules that must be followed.