Antimicrobials Boost Nursery Pig Performance, Returns
For the overall trial, adding antibiotics to the diet during any phase improved performance and economic returns, according to M.U. Steidinger and colleagues, presenting their paper at the Kansas Swine Day 2009.

Antibiotics Found to Aid Reduction of E. coli in Swine
A study conducted by Nancy Cornick, associate professor of veterinary microbiology at Iowa State University, examines the usage of three antibiotics - tylosin, chlorotetracycline and bacitracin methylene disalicylate.

Second PCV2 Vaccination Brings Benefits in PRRS-Challenged Pigs
Despite the decrease in performance related to the second vaccination of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), the second vaccination improved final performance and decreased the number of removals due to the health challenge from porcine respiratory and...

Consider Impact of PCV2 and M-Hyo Control Strategies on Nursery Pig Performance
Vaccinating pigs for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M-hyo) reduced the performance of nursery pigs, reported Potter and co-authors at the Kansas Swine Day 2009, and this effect should be taken into account when...

Antibiotic-Free Pork Challenges Industry Norm
Manon St-Hilaire described the successful setting up of an operation to produce pork without the routine use of antibiotics at the 2010 Banff Pork Seminar.

Vaccination Strategies to Control PCV2 and MHyo Compared
Vaccinating pigs for porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) with different vaccination strategies resulted in differences in growth rate in the nursery and finishing phases but equal performance overall, according...

Enzootic Pneumonia
The symptoms, treatment, prevention and control of enzootic pneumonia are described by pig veterinarian, Mark White, in the latest Health Bulletin from NADIS.

Twisted Guts and Stomach
Rotation of the intestine in the abdomen is one of the most common causes of sudden death in growing pigs, according to pig veterinarian, Mark White, in the latest Health Bulletin from NADIS.

NADIS BPEX Commentary – December 2009 - PRRS
In his latest Commentary, pig veterinarian, Mark White looks at the factors affecting the incidence of the porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome (PRRS), as revealed by the NADIS surveillance programme for PRRS in selected pig herds in the UK.

UK Pig Disease Quarterly Surveillance Report: July to September 2009
The latest report from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) highlights the good news that the reduction in the incidence of PMWS and PCV2-associated disease has been sustained, and that pig prices continue to be favourable. One case each of swine...

Experts Discuss Diagnosis of PCVD
At this year's PCVD Forum sponsored by Merial, two European experts in the field of diagnosis discussed methods for testing porcine circovirus disease (PCVD), writes Jackie Linden for ThePigSite

Case Studies Show PCV2 Vaccination Improves Finisher and Breeding Performance
At the most recent PCVD Forum sponsored by Merial, leading pig veterinarians explained how vaccination against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) improved performance and reduced antibiotic use in finishing herd, and boosted health in the breeding herd,...

How PCV2 Interferes with the Immune System
A story of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and PCV-associated disease (PCVD), could be subtitled 'PCV2 and PCVD – when immunology goes wrong'. Dr Kenneth McCullough, head of research at Switzerland's Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis explained...

Abundant Harvest of New Knowledge on PCV2 Biology
Dr Catherine Charreyre, head of research projects in the swine business at Merial, outlined the key lessons from the different work packages on porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) by the PCVD Consortium at the recent PCVD Forum 2009 organised by Merial in...

H1N1 Virus in Norway's Pigs and Humans 'Virtually Identical'
Researchers at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute have found evidence that humans were the most likely source of the H1N1 virus, which caused the outbreak of influenza in pigs in the country that began in October 2009. Jackie Linden summarises the findings...

Biosecurity in Swine Production: Widespread Concerns?
The importance of applying biosecurity measures in pig production were explained by Marie-Ève Lambert and Sylvie D’Allaire from the University of Montreal at the Banff Pork Seminar 2009. They say: "A knowledge of the biosecurity procedures used in...

Study Finds Variation in Costs for Animal Disease Prevention
A new report Cost of National Prevention Systems for Animal Diseases and Zoonoses in Developing and Transition Countries commissioned by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has been published recently. The main conclusions are summarised...

Neonatal Colibacillosis
For each month of an outbreak, neonatal colibacillosis costs a typical 500-sow herd more than £7,000, according to pig veterinarian, Mark White, in the latest Health Bulletin from NADIS.

Advantages of Organic Acids for Feed and Feed Raw Materials
Renata Urbaityte, Technical Manager for Biomin Holding, explains how a blend of organic acids can affect diet pH and its buffering capacity to maintain the health and improve the performance of pigs.

Application of Air Filtration Systems in Swine Operations
Darwin L. Reicks from the Swine Vet Center in St Peter, Minnesota, explains how air filtration systems can help control porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). He was speaking at the Banff Pork Seminar 2009.

Swine Dysentery – a Question of Nutrition?
Veterinary treatment, disinfection and fly and rodent control, feed formulation and feed additives all play a significant role in the control of swine dysnetery, according to Franz Waxenecker, Director Product Development for Biomin GmbH.

Breeding Techniques Have Potential to Lower Incidence of PCVAD
The incidence of porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD) can be reduced by selecting for 65-day weight along with porcine circovirus (PCV2) viraemia and antibody titres, conclude Jared S. Bates and colleagues. Their experimental work is published...

Dietary Iron in Post-Weaning Swine Diets
Dr Adam Moeser of the Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University explains how to achieve the right balance between meeting requirements and gastrointestinal health in the University's Swine News.