Improvements in key parameters for piglets included increases in daily weight gain during grower and finishing periods, and reduced time to reach 100 kg bodyweight, while benefits to the sows included increased litter size and more piglets weaned.¹

The study took place on a 2700 sow farrow-to-finishing unit. The farm was using Danbred genetics and was free from PRRSV. However, in 2008 both mortality and lightweight fatteners rates had increased, and some pigs were affected by Porcine Dermatitis and Nephropathy Syndrome.

In February 2009 PCV2 a vaccination policy was implemented for piglets at weaning. In July of the same year, the unit introduced vaccination for sows – initially mass-vaccinating sows and then on a batch- by- batch basis two weeks before farrowing. Gilts were vaccinated twice, three weeks apart before mating, and boosted two weeks before farrowing.

Growth parameters were found to significantly improve after vaccinating both sow and piglets. During the grower period average daily weight gains were up by 41 grams per day, while during the finishing period they increased by 77 grams per day. The time to reach 100 kg was reduced by 5.3 days.

Reproductive parameters improved over time with litter sizes increasing from 13 pigs in 2009 to 16.7 by 2011, and over the same period the number of piglets weaned was up by 0.8.

Merial Animal Health’s Veterinary Adviser Brian Rice said: “Circovac is the only PCV2 vaccine currently licensed for both piglets and sows. This research clearly supports the findings of an earlier BPEX study which looked at the effectiveness of treating piglets, sows, or piglets and sows. Vaccinating both piglets and sows is undoubtedly the most effective way of preventing PCV2, but vaccinating just sows provides the best return on investment of vaccine cost.“

¹ Additional benefits of CIRCOVAC sow vaccination on top of piglet vaccination under Bulgarian conditions: a case report. H.Stoykov, M.Grozeva, DVM

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