Piglet Scours: The Facts

Bacterial infection is one of the major causes of scours in piglets. The most common bacteria, E coli causes yellow watery diarrhoea and is a contant threat in most pig units. Without an appropriate vaccination regime, you can lose up to 10% of your piglets through E.coli infections. Annual losses to the industry from piglet deaths have been estimated at close to £10 million. However, total costs are even higher since an outbreak of E.coli involves treatment and extra labour. In addition, any surviving, weakened or retarded piglets are a further drain on profitability.

Clostridial enteritis can be an even greater threat and scours caused by Clostridium perfringens are on the increase. This type of scour is caused by a dark blood-stained diarrhoea. Although some farmers have not yet seen this disease on their farms, others have lost up to 60% of their piglets during an outbreak.

Why Clostridial scours are increasing

Clostridium perfringens is everywhere, it occurs naturally throughout the environment, in straw and soil as well as in sow faeces and on the skin. With the increased use of straw bedding, and the increase in outdoor housing, piglets have an even greater exposure to these bacteria in the critical early stages of life. It is no wonder more and more farmers are choosing to protect against this costly, persistant and often devastating disease

Gletvax* 6: Britains best selling scour vaccine¹

Gletvax 6 is the only vaccine which prevents against both E.coli and Clostridial scours. The vaccine is administered to the sow who passes immunity to the piglets via the colostrum. The piglets start to build up immunity from their first feed.

Since Gletvax 6 contains 4 important strains of E.coli (K88ab, K88ac, K99 and 987p) and 3 strains of Colostridium perfringens (types B, C and D), it offers the broadest protection against E.coli and Colostridial scours available in a single vaccine.

No wonder its Britains best selling scour vaccine.

Gletvax 6: The evidence²

E.coli scours
Use of Gletvax 6 in a trial reduced the death rate from E.coli enteritis to 1.3% compared to 6.9% in the control group. The number of piglets infected with the disease fell to 9.5% compared to 35% in the unvaccinated control group.

Clostridial scours
In the same trial, Gletvax 6 reduced the death rate from Colostridial scours to 8% compared to 43% in the control group. The number of piglets infected with the disease fell to 29% compared to 85% in the control group.

Dosage and administration:

Dose: Sows and gilts: 5ml

Administration: By subcutaneous or interamuscular injection, preferably behind the ear. The bottle should be well shaken before vaccine is withdrawn. The initial course consists of two doses.
First dose: At service, or, if necessary, at any time up to 6 weeks before farrowing.
Second dose/subsequent booster doses: Two weeks before farrowing is expected.

Contraindications, warnings, etc
Syringes and needles should be sterilised before use and the injection should be made through an area of clean, dry skin, taking precautions of contamination.

Part used containers of the vaccine should be discarded at the end of the day's operations.

For animal use only.

Keep out of reach of children.

Side effects: As with all vaccines, occasional hypersensitivity reactions may occur. Prompt subcutaneous injections of adrenaline may relieve the condition.

Pharmaceutical preparations

Store between +2° C and +8° C

Protect from light.

Do not freeze.

Shake well before use.

Legal catagory: PML

Package quantities: 50 ml plastic packs

Withholding period: Nil

References

1. NOAH data, March 1998.
2. Data on file.