Roundworms, PRRS most reported health problems, survey says

Ft. Collins, Colo.-Two health problems most often reported on swine operations are roundworms and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

The latest findings are from additional results released by the NationalAnimal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) of the United States Departmentof Agriculture.

The study was from Swine 2000, a major study of pork producers from thetop 17 swine-producing states. The sample of respondents represented 92percent of U.S. pork producers with a total inventory of 100 or more swine.

The results

Dr. Eric Bush, a swine epidemiologist with NAHMS, says the results couldsignal opportunities for veterinarians in helping producers with diseaseproblems. He adds roundworms is a classic example, because it is easilypreventable.

In addition to roundworms and PRRS on the top 10 disease problems presentin breeding females during the last 12 months, the list includes mycoplasma,traditional flu, gastric ulcers, erysipelias, new flu, parvovirus, Glasser'sdisease and APP.

The top three diseases in suckling piglets were colibacillus (45.2 percentof sites), Streptococcus suis (29.8 percent of sites) and greasy pig disease(25.9 percent).

Vaccination also varied. For sites with breeding females vaccinated formycoplasma (39.7 percent), PRRS (53.5 percent) and SIV (44.1 percent).

The most prevalent disease in nursery pigs was Streptococcus suis, regardlessof herd size, NAHMS says.

Vaccination practices for respiratory disease, disease prevalence anduse of antibiotics were all subjects explored from more data released ona major swine study.

Ileitis was the disease problem most common on sites with grower/finisherpigs, occurring on more than one-third (36.9 percent) of all sites and reportedon 75 percent of large sites (10,000 or more total inventory).

More than 80 percent of sites with 2,000 or more total inventory (thattreated grower/finisher pigs with antibiotics) recorded some type of informationregarding treatment. Fewer than 60 percent of sites with less than 2,000total inventory did so.

For more information contact: Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health;USDA: APHIS: VS, attn. NAHMS; 555 South Howes; Ft. Collins, CO 80521; (970)490-8000; or go to www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah-/cahm.