Diarrhea can cause piglet death: how to prevent and control diarrhea in piglets

    1. Choose high-quality feed. For weaned piglets, especially early-weaned piglets, add blood plasma powder (containing immunoglobulins), dairy products (such as whey powder, etc.), and animal protein feed (such as high-quality fish meal) to the diet, and gradually increase the proportion of plant protein feed such as soybean meal. 

Piglets

    2. Early supplementary feeding. Starting to supplement with high-quality piglet pellet feed from 5 to 7 days after birth can promote the development of the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the allergic reaction of the intestinal tract to dietary protein.

    3. Lower the protein level in the feed. After piglets are weaned, the incidence of diarrhea increases as the protein content in the pig diet increases, because protein is the main antigenic substance; lowering the protein level can reduce the intestinal immune response and the severity of diarrhea. 

    4. Feed additives. Adding 1% citric acid, exogenous digestive enzymes (lipase and amylase), probiotics, etc. to drinking water and feed can improve digestive capacity and increase feed utilization.

    5. Strengthen management and feeding management. Do not change feed abruptly. After weaning, continue feeding piglet feed for about 10 days, and after the 8th day gradually adapt them to the new feed, which can reduce piglet diarrhea; control daily feed intake, and during the weaning period feeding at 80% of normal intake is better, then after a 3-day transition, return to normal intake, which can reduce piglet diarrhea; maintain a suitable temperature, and the piglet house should be kept at 20°C-22°C, which can avoid diarrhea caused by temperature changes; maintain suitable humidity, keeping the humidity of the piglet house at 65%-75%; disinfect regularly, do a good job of environmental sanitation, and strengthen ventilation in the piglet house; ensure sufficient, clean drinking water.

    6. Do a good job of immunization and care for sows before and after farrowing. Vaccinate sows once each at 40 days and 15 days before farrowing with Escherichia coli vaccine (K88, K99, 987P trivalent vaccine), and vaccinate once each at 30 days and 15 days before farrowing with red dysentery vaccine; inject long-acting oxytetracycline once each at 3 days before farrowing and 3 days after farrowing at 10 milliliters per head per time; before sows enter the farrowing house, thoroughly wash and disinfect the pig house, pen rails, and pig body, preheat the farrowing house in advance, and let the newborn piglets suck colostrum as early as possible.

    7. Use antibiotics for prevention: adding antibiotics to supplementary feed and starter feed can prevent the occurrence of diarrhea. At present, the antibiotics mainly used to prevent piglet diarrhea include: chlortetracycline, tylosin, zinc bacitracin, olaquindox, etc.

    8. Treatment. Before using therapeutic drugs, first conduct a drug sensitivity test, and use sensitive drugs for treatment.