January 7, 2009
UK vaccine campaign against PCV2 pays off
The industry funded vaccination campaign in UK worth US$2.2 million to tackle the porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has resulted in better pig health.
A study based on actual results from 100,000 sows that produces 2 million finished pigs shows increased weaned litter sizes and significantly lower mortality levels at 5 percent for nursery and 6 percent for finishing pigs.
The results also showed more uniformed pigs and animals have finished weights up to 10 days earlier than normal.
The project began in April and so far almost 1.5 million doses have been funded on 483 units with 305,000 sows which made up 75 percent of the British sow herd.
The research started due to high mortality, slow growth rates and variable performances being blamed on post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) issues.
British pig levy body BPEX has funded the PCV2 vaccine as part of the research project.
BPEX pig industry development director Mark Wilson said there is emerging evidence that PCV2 vaccines and the uptake have a significant and positive impact on pig health and welfare.
The government of Scotland was asked to fund a similar PCV2 initiative, but rejected the proposal along with a series of others put to it by industry in August.
