Sick piglets despite vaccination: How the farmer recognized the problem

Coughing, fever, and diarrhea in the fattening phase: Despite the piglets being vaccinated against various pathogens, health problems arose. That was the reason.

In a fattening farm, problems suddenly emerged: About a week after being introduced, the pigs developed coughing, fever, diarrhea, lethargy, and paleness. The attending veterinarian took samples and sent two animals for necropsy. The samples were tested for the usual pathogens causing respiratory infections such as APP, PCV2 (Circovirus), and PRRS. It was revealed that APP played a role. Interestingly, the fattening piglets were affected by APP despite the sows being vaccinated against it.

Due to the APP diagnosis, in the next batch, the piglets were vaccinated against APP upon introduction to the fattening phase. It seemed that the maternal immunity vaccination was no longer sufficient for the piglets. However, the vaccination did not work, and the animals became even sicker all of a sudden, the farmer recalled. So, there must have been something else responsible for the sick animals. As elevated PRRS antibodies were also found in the diagnostics, a typing was performed. Result: It was not the PRRS virus. Another necropsy of two animals finally revealed another pathogen, which ultimately turned out to be the root cause of the health issues in the fattening barn. To find out which pathogen it was and what role a new vaccination concept played in solving the problem, read the digital edition of agrarheute Schwein.

This was a highly summarized version of the original article. Read the detailed technical article in the digital edition of agrarheute and test it out without obligation.