Title: PigProgress - Major problems in piglet health and management
Headings: Major problems in piglet health and management
Background Jun 17, 2014
Major problems in piglet health and management
1 Overlay
2 Chilling
3 Failure of colostrum intake
4 Diarrhoea
5 Birth defects
Photo

Content: This condition is often a form of Escherichia coli blood poisoning in young piglets, known as coli-septicaemia. E. coli are common bacteria in the farm environment especially ones with a busy number of farrowings and poor hygiene. Coli-septicaemia occurs when there is insufficient intake of colostrum by the newly born piglets, with a reduction in blood levels of antibodies needed to fight these environmental bacteria. Coli-septicaemia may coincide with other farrowing house problems such as low milk production or mastitis in sows. The management of farrowing areas requires sufficient staff to assist newborn piglets to suckle colostrum, including those born during night time hours. The udders of gilts and sows should be cleaned regularly. Farrowing areas will be a reservoir of infection and cleaning must include the use of detergents to remove the fatty areas derived from sow milk. 4 Diarrhoea
Bacterial diarrhoea among neonatal piglets (baby pig scours) is frequent, if there is an incomplete vaccination programme for the breeding pigs. Diarrhoea problems can appear to spread around litters in the farrowing areas. The affected piglets are generally one to seven days-old, with watery white-yellow diarrhoea, ejected as a stream from the anus.