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Bulletin No. 15 - Summer 2003
Parasitology- No Category
CARGILL C, GARCIA R, HOMER D, SANDEMAN M.
Mange (Sarcoptes scabiei) eradication through sow treatment with ivermectin and validation by slaughter checks and ELISA assays.
Proceedings of the 19th Meeting of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, August 10-14, 2003
Three mange elimination programs were constructed based on pig flow and other management factors. The first two were for use with continuous pig flow, and the third with batch farrowing. The first program involved medication of all sows and boars with ivermectin by injection on the same day, repeated 14 days later. The second program was to treat dry sows and boars with ivermectin in the feed for 7 days and repeat after a 7-day break, while lactating sows were treated by injection on the day in-feed treatment commenced and 14 days later. In the third program sows were treated with ivermectin by topdressing their feed for 7 days pre-farrowing and pre-weaning, while all boars were treated whenever a batch of sows was treated. Two farms were enrolled to each program, using manufacturer's recommended dose rates. Sows examined before treatment were positive for both Sarcoptes mites and eggs while those examined 6 months after treatment were negative for mites and mite eggs. Slaughter pigs weaned before treatment had Average Dermatitis Scores (ADS) indicative of mange, while those weaned 6 and 12 months after treatment had ADS below the mange threshold. ELISA scores of piglets 6 and 12 months post-treatment did not indicate exposure to mites. Average daily gain (ADG) of pigs weaned 6 to 9 months after treatment were 1% to 5% higher than ADG of piglets weaned before treatment, demonstrating the productivity gains that can be achieved by eradicating mange.
