ACUTE PHASE PROTEINS AND SERUM CORTISOL LEVELS IN SOWS AFFECTED WITH MASTITIS, METRITIS, AGALACTIA (MMA) AND SWINE UROGENITAL DISEASE (SUGD)
P.Z.E. Friendship and G. Bilkei

Abstract
In the presented study, bacteriological examination of post-parturient vulval discharges and milk samples, serum concentrations of acute phase proteins and cortisol of sows affected with mastitis, metritis, agalactia (MMA) and swine urogenital disease (SUGD) (group one, n=35) and that of healthy sows (group two, n=35) were compared. Total born, liveborn, stillborn and mummified pigs, pre-weaning piglet mortality, and weaning weights were also compared.
Escherichia coli was found in all vulval discharges and milk samples of sows affected with MMA/SUGD.
Pigs born (group one: 13.2+/-1.4 vs. group two: 13.5+/-1.9), liveborn (group one: 12.1+/-1.7 vs. group two: 11.9+/-1.8), stillborn (group one: 0.9+/-0.03 vs. group two: 1.6+/-0.02), and mummified pigs (group one: 0.6+/-0.02 vs. group two: 0.5+/-0.03) did not differ significantly between the groups. Pre-weaning mortality showed significant (P<0.001) differences between the MMA/ SUGD affected sows (20.9+/-6.1%) and healthy sows (10.9+/-2.9%). Four weeks weaning litter weights differed (P<0.01) between the MMA/SUGD affected and healthy animals (71.1+/-3.7 kg vs. 79.4+/-3.9 kg).
Mean serum alpha 1-acid glycoproteins (AGP) concentrations were higher at day one, five (P<0.05), and ten (P<0.001) post-partum in MMA/ SUGD affected sows. Mean serum haptoglobin (HPT) was higher in MMA/ SUGD affected sows at days one and five (P<0.001) of lactation. Cortisol serum concentrations were higher (P<0.001) throughout the study in MMA/ SUGD affected sows compared to the healthy ones. Alpha 1-acid glycoproteins (AGP) was negatively correlated with litter weights. Correlations were found on the overall means for weight, acute phase proteins and serum cortisol. The authors conclude that AGP negatively correlates with litter weight, indicating that an activation of cellular immune response of the sow negatively effects growth rate of the suckling piglets. Haptoglobin may be a valuable indicator of stress and disease in post-parturient sows.

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