Disease A-Z for Pigs

Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia

Mixed respiratory disease is reported as one of the most common clinical conditions affecting growing pigs in the UK.

African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever is widely regarded as one of the most serious and damaging diseases affecting pigs worldwide.

Agalactia

The ability of the sow to adequately rear her litter is key to successful breeding herd productivity. Lactation failure is a common problem affecting the whole or part of the udder.

Anal Biting in Pigs

Biting and damage to the anus of growing pigs is a rare but extremely damaging condition.

Ascariasis

There are a limited number of worm parasites that affect the pig in the UK.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity refers to measures that can be taken within an animal keeping environment to reduce or prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Blue Ear

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS or Blue Ear) appeared in the UK in 1991.

Boar Usage

Many herds now utilise AI in one form or another.

Bush Foot

Damage to the foot of the pig and resultant infection is a common cause of lameness and welfare problems in the pig.

Clostridial Disease Overview

Clostridia are a group of bacteria of which there are a number of species that can cause disease in pigs.

Clostridium novyi infection

Clostridium novyi (Cl novyi) is one of a group of clostridial bacteria that are usually present in the gut of the pig.

Clostridium Perfringens Infection in Piglets

Piglet scour is one of the more commonly reported clinical conditions affecting pigs prior to weaning.

Coccidiosis in Piglets

Scouring in suckling piglets remains a major problem in many farms and can be caused by a wide range of infectious, environmental and managemental factors.  Probably the most common cause of scour in piglets from 10-20 days old is Coccidiosis.

Colitis

Colitis in growing pigs is often referred to as grower scours.

Congenital Tremor

Young piglets are often born with the whole body trembling and shaking to a variable extent.

Degenerative Joint Disease

Premature culling or on-farm euthanasia is a commonly recorded sequel to lameness in the young breeding animal.

Diarrhoea (scour)

Neonatal diarrhoea (scour) is a common cause of loss in piglets soon after birth and yet nowadays is one of the easier disease problems faced by farmers.

Ear Tip Necrosis

Ear tip necrosis (ETN) is a common finding in young growing pigs.

Enzootic Pneumonia

Enzootic Pneumonia (SEP) caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) is the most common respiratory disease seen in pigs.

Erysipelas

The disease is most prevalent in straw based systems and tends to peak in the summer months, although can occur at any time.

Facial Necrosis

Farrowing Process

The normal gestation length of a sow or gilt is typically 115 days (three months, three weeks and three days) measured from the first day of service, although a range of 113 – 117 days is quite normal. The trigger for farrowing (parturition) to start comes from the piglets, not the sow.

Fires on the Pig Farm

Farm fires are all too common. Unfortunately, indoor pig farms are quite vulnerable to fire.

Fumonisin Poisoning

Gilt Infertility

In a normal year, an established pig breeding herd will replace 40% or more of the sows with gilts.

Gilt Management and Integration

Maintaining a flow of gilt replacements into a breeding herd is integral to maintaining productivity.

Glässers Disease

Acute septicaemia ("blood poisoning") associated with infection with Haemophilus parasuis causing Glässers Disease.

Greasy Pig Disease

Greasy Pig Disease is a bacterial infection of the skin of the pig, known as Marmite disease, Greasy Skin, Exudative Epidermitis.

Handling Boar Semen on Farm

Artificial insemination now forms a major component of the pig breeding programme of many farms.

Husbandry & Handling young pigs

Piglets should be handled with care and given a safe environment to live in with best husbandry practices in place.

Hygiene

Disease caused by infectious agents is the result of an imbalance between the level of challenge and the degree of resistance / immunity that the pig may have.

Ileitis and Proliferative Enteropathies in Pigs

1960's clinical reports showed that infectious diseases such as Classical Swine Fever and Swine Dysentery were appearing as new conditions.

Intestinal Torsion

One of the most common causes of such losses is rotation of the intestine within the abdomen.

Joint Ill in Piglets

The condition commonly referred to as Joint Ill is more correctly an arthritis affecting one of more joints, usually in young pigs.

Lactation Length in Sows

Over several decades there has been a continual evaluation of the age at which piglets are weaned and the length of the sows' lactation.

Lameness in Breeding Stock

Premature culling or on-farm euthanasia is a commonly recorded sequel to lameness in the young breeding animal.

Leptospirosis in Pigs

Infertility in sows can result from a wide range of causes, both of an infectious and non-infectious nature.

Mange and Lice

Parasites form a major threat to the health and well-being of pigs and are a particular threat to the small pig keeper.

Marmite Disease

Greasy Pig Disease is a bacterial infection of the skin of the pig, known as Marmite disease, Greasy Skin, Exudative Epidermitis.

Milking Problems in Sows and Gilts

For the smaller pig keeper who keeps breeding animals, the ability of each sow to milk and rear a litter is crucial.

Mycoplasma Arthrititis

Lameness as a clinical entity presents a common problem to the pig both in terms of production/economics and its welfare.

Navel Bleeding

Loss of blood through the navel of the new-born pig can result in severe anaemia, failure to grow and, in the extreme, early death.

Neonatal Colibacillosis

Neonatal diarrhoea (scour) is a common cause of loss in piglets soon after birth and yet nowadays is one of the easier disease problems faced by farmers.

Notifiable Diseases

Within the pig field, notifiable diseases are those infectious diseases, generally not present within the national population.

Oestrous During Lactation

During lactation, certainly up to 4 weeks post farrowing, part of the hormonal control mechanism (principally prolactin) normally acts to prevent the sow coming back into heat - unlike the picture seen in other farmed species.

Osteomalacia

Premature culling or on-farm euthanasia is a commonly recorded sequel to lameness in the young breeding animal.

Overlaying

Piglet Mortality in the Outdoor Herd

The nature of outdoor pig production does not allow close supervision of young piglets on the sow.

Piglet Scour

Diarrhoea (scour) is one of the most common ailments affecting the young piglet before weaning.

Piglet Tail Necrosis

Piglets - The Value of Birth Weights

Producers should look at the factors which influence birth weight of pigs, both as whole litters and individuals

PMWS, Circovirus Disease and PDNS

Infection associated with Porcine Circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in pig herds, producing Post Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Disease (PMWS).

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea and Transmissable Gastroenteritis

The two viral enteric diseases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) and Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) have historically been major causes of loss in pigs and remain prevalent diseases in some parts of the world.  Whilst the incidence of both diseases in the UK is now low and rarely diagnosed, the viruses are potentially devastating to a herd and can form part of a more complex scour picture.

Porcine Parvovirus

Disease caused by Porcine Parvovirus (PPV) is restricted to the pregnant sow or gilt with the virus capable of infecting and destroying both embryos and foetuses.  It is the most common cause of what was traditionally called the Stillbirths Mummification Embryonic Death and Infertility (SMEDI) syndrome.  Whilst once common as a clinical disease producing explosive outbreaks of litter loss, the application of highly effective vaccination programmes mean that now it is an uncommon problem.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in Weaners

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS or Blue Ear) appeared in the UK in 1991.

Porcine Reproductive Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) in the Breeding Herd

In 1991 a new disease syndrome appeared dramatically in the U.K. causing serious disease problems in the breeding herd.

Porcine Ringworm

Porcine Ringworm is a skin condition caused by a range of species of dermatophyllic fungi. It often does not present as rings and can be easily overlooked.

Post Weaning Diarrhoea and Oedema Disease

The physiological changes that occur around weaning occur whatever the weaning age although to some extent are reduced the older the pig. In the “natural” situation where the pigs wean themselves at 8-10 weeks these changes can be mild but in all other situations the risks are high. (Link to SPP4- Post Weaning Diarrhoea)

Pregnancy Testing

Progressive Atrophic Rhinitis

Rhinitis was one of the major disease of pigs through the 1970's and 80's causing major economic loss.

Rectal Prolapse and Rectal Stricture

Compared to other farm species, the pig appears to be particularly vulnerable to prolapse of the rectal tissue through the anus, which can be seen in any age group from as early as 1-2 days old up to adults.

Respiratory Disease in the Young Piglet

Traditionally, respiratory disease, particularly pneumonia, has predominantly been a problem of the growing pig above 7-8 weeks of age.

Rotaviral Diarrhoea

One of the more common causes of such disease in baby piglets is rotaviral infection.

Salmonella Cholerae-suis

Salmonella bacteria are commonly isolated from animal, the environment and especially pigs or their carcasses and for a number of years starting in 2003 a monitoring programme (Zoonosis action plan -ZAP) had been put in place.

Salt Poisoning/Water Deprivation

Pigs appear to be particularly vulnerable to a form of dehydration that presents as a specific disease entity.

Sarcoptic Mange

Sarcoptic mange is a parasitic disease of pigs characterised by intense skin irritation and damage.

Savaging of Piglets

Seasonal Infertility

Like many species the domesticated pig still retain some elements of seasonality in its breeding cycle

Second Litter Drop

Output from the breeding herd is key to herd profitability. When investigating sub-standard herd production it is often found that young sows over-represent breeding failure.

Septic Laminitis (Bush Foot)

The "foot is the hardware and the ground is the software" but in the indoor farming system these roles are reversed.

Shoulder sores in sows

Ulceration of the skin over the point of the shoulder producing a "shoulder sore" is a common finding in indoor sows and gilts.

Sow Condition

The concept of sow condition scoring has been with us for more than 20 years and yet problems with condition are regularly encountered.

Sow Foot Lameness and Hoof Care

Damage to the foot of the pig and resultant infection is a common cause of lameness and welfare problems in the pig.

Sow Mastitis

Mastitis in the sow is often made erroneously in the mistaken belief that any problem with the udder after farrowing equals mastitis.

Splayleg in Piglets

Piglets commonly suffer from a splaying out of the limbs soon after birth.

Stillbirths

This article looks in detail at one of the most important limits on pig breeding herd production - that of pigs born dead.

Streptococcal Meningitis

Meningitis is a relatively common disease of young pigs whereby infection leads to inflammation of the sacs that surround the brain.

Sunburn and Heatstroke/Heatstress

During a warm dry spring and summer, the two separate conditions of sunburn and heatstroke tend to get linked together.

Swine Dysentery

Swine Dysentery has long been recognised as a major disease of pigs throughout the world and can be seen in all types of pig keeping.

Swine Influenza

The disease is now common throughout the UK causing sporadic disease in individual herds, occasionally across areas.

Tail Biting

Damage to pigs' tails by pen mates contributes a major loss to the pig industry.

The Feeding Herd - "Hidden Costs"

Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Twisted Guts and Stomach

One of the most common causes of such losses is rotation of the intestine within the abdomen.

Vaccination for the Smaller Pig Population Part 1

When compared to large commercial pig keeping operations, the small pig population presents different health challenges.

Vaccination for the Smaller Pig Population Part 2

All vaccines used in pigs have a finite shelf life and as biological products are susceptible to degeneration.

Vitamin E / Selenium Deficiency

The most obvious effect of Vitamin E/Selenium deficiency in the pig is sudden death, typically in young fast growing weaners, although it can be seen in piglets still on the sow beyond the 3rd week of life

Vulva Biting

Vulval discharges

Discharge from the vulva of the sow can arise from anywhere in the urogenital tract - from the vagina, cervix or uterus or from the bladder or kidneys - and can take many different forms.

Whole Carcass Condemnation

Worms

Parasites are a hazard for all pigs but those kept in more extensive conditions and in permanently occupied areas that are never washed are more likely to build-up significant worm populations that can become a burden to the animals.