Walking the Pens (part 1)

Walking the Pens” An Educational Guide to Individual Pig Care(Part 1)
“It can be tempting,” observes Dr. Don Mc.Dermid manager of Veterinary Services in the Swine Group of Pfizer Animal Healtch(Canada), “to look at a barn full of pigs and treat them all the same. While pigs are viewed as individuals when born and marketed, many never reach their target because they aren’t addressed as individuals in the grow to finish phase. When you identify and treat individual sick pigs, they will have a greater opportunity to survive and reach their target weight. Remember that a 1,000-head nursery or finisher barn is not a ‘forest’ of pigs but 1,000 individual ‘trees’ - it is important to not miss the trees for the forest.

Individual pig care means taking care to ensure every pig has proper feed, water, medication and a clean, healthy environment to be free from pain, disease, discomfort, and injury.

Pfizer Animal Health (PAH) recently introduced “Walking the Pens”, an interactive educational program to help farmers focus on identifying and treating individual pigs. As a proud supporter of the Philippine swine industry, PAH is committed to helping producers build and improve their operations. The positive, measurable impact of individual pig care can be seen in everything from pig performance and labor savings to industry sustainability.
In the Philippines, PAH is working with farm veterinarians to host “Walking the Pens” seminars for producers, reviewing and reinforcing the basics of individual pig care. Last July 28, 1 had the opportunity to watch the presentation of PAH on “Walking the Pens” at Foremost Farms, Inc. in Pasig City.

This article draws on content from “Walking the Pens”, taking a look at creating the right barn conditions to prevent disease and how to start pigs to give them a leg up from day one.

BARN PREPARATION
Pigs that move into a clean environment in an all-in/all-out fashion will grow faster. Properly setting up a room or barn to receive pigs is critical for the success of any operation. Case studies suggest that pathogens such as E. coli, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus, and Porcine Circovirus 2 (PCV2) from previous pig populations can readily contaminate new populations. All-in/all-out draws the line between the possible presence of disease in one group of pigs and the lack of disease in the next group.

One of the best ways to prepare your barn is t6 use the accompanying checklist and an audit to track the components of barn setup, especially feeders, drinkers, mats, ventilation, fallback pens, and recovery pens.

Feeders should be emptied, disinfected and properly drained or dried during the all-in/all-out break. Put new feed into the feeding area prior to, or shortly after, pigs arrive so they have immediate access to feed. Drinkers should also be regularly cleaned and checked for flow, pressure and height. Pigs will be thirsty when they arrive. One nipple per 10 head of pigs or one cup drinker per 20 head is recommended. Remember, the more water the pigs drink, the more likely they are to increase feed consumption.

Feed or comfort mats can encourage feed consumption and provide pigs with a warm, draft-free environment during their first few days. Each mat should provide 0.25 square feet per head.

Temperature and air quality of the barn is also important. Check it at the pig level prior to arrival.

It is a good idea to create fallback pens, which are well heated and away from drafts, for underweight pigs. It is helpful to leave mats in place and heat lamps or zone heating over these pens for a longer period as the pigs recover. As fallback pigs start to eat and grow, move them to a recovery pen or if the entire pen is starting back on feed, change the fallback pen to a recovery pen. If you require more than 10 percent of the pens for fallback and recovery, you may have high disease activity, requiring a consultation with a veterinarian.

STARTING PIGS OFF RIGHT
Starting pigs well means more pigs to market and increased profitability. Consider the following activities, according to Dr. McDermid, to give your herd the greatest chance for success:

1. Count and confirm. As new pigs arrive, count and confirm them with the invoice to establish correct inventory. An easy way to count is to run pigs into a few pens and count them as you move them within each pen. Identify the lightest pigs so that you can provide them with individual care and more days of the first nursery diet. Pigs that are of no value or rejects should not be counted as part of the entry inventory and should be euthanized.

2. Feed on the mat. Mats provide comfort, reduce drafts, and even raise the floor temperature. They are also convenient for feeding. Feeding small amounts three to five times a day on mats makes it easier to identify pigs that are not eating or are falling behind. You should identify all pigs that are not eating between days three and five post-placement, and move them to the fallout pen where they can receive gruel feed.

3.Check for full stomachs. Ninety percent of fallbacks will occur in the first seven days, often in the first 48 hours. These are usually pigs that do not do transition well from milk to pelleted diets. Check for a full stomach by picking up the pig and feeling just behind the rib cage. If the stomach is empty, move them to the fallback pen.

4. Analyze your records. Pigs can fall behind due to health challenges anytime, though most farms develop a disease pattern. Analyze cull and removal records to help identify the pattern on your farm.

5. Check the fallbacks. Examine fallback pigs for navel infections, joint abscesses, and viral and bacterial diseases. It is often cost effective to treat the pigs upon entry into the fallback pen. Consult your veterinarian about which antibiotic to use.

6. Limit disease transmission. Diseases are introduced into your barn in several ways. Your herd biosecurity program should be reviewed on a regular basis with your veterinarian. There are steps you can take to prevent transmission. Clean, disinfect and dry all barn tools regularly. Appropriate and proper vaccination of the sow herd and acclimatization of gilts can prevent disease transmission from sow to pig, but because sow vaccination is not always effective, vaccination programs specific to each herd are often required for pigs pre- or post-entry. Ensure vaccines are handled and administered properly and that the timing is in line with protocols established with your veterinarian.

Individual pig care is not always easy, it requires watchful eyes that know what to look for and how best to intervene. But it will increase the likelihood that pigs will remain healthy and achieve their target weight. Barn set up and - care when starting pigs are good first steps. Identifying pigs that falter may be more difficult. The next article will explore identification and treatment of sick pigs, with a focus on respiratory and neurological illnesses.