June 10, 2016
Discussions at the 24th IPVS move beyond swine virology
An eFeedLink Exclusive
On the third day of the 24th International Pig Veterinary Society (IPVS) Congress held in Dublin, Ireland, the spotlight moved beyond swine virology towards other key topics including bacteriology, herd health management, and importantly, welfare and nutrition.
On the topic of welfare and nutrition, speaker Marie Erika Busch of the SEGES pig research centre of Denmark showed that animal welfare is not about having a starry-eyed view of the swine industry, but is about having an understanding which links together many aspects of animal health. For instance, her study revealed that PCV2-vaccinated pigs had an increased risk of stomach ulcers, probably because it is more common to PCV2-vaccinate in herds with ulcer problems. Apart from the relation between vaccination and ulcers, the association between Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 6 infection and ulcers supports the results of an earlier Danish study, in which an association between pleurisy and stomach ulcers was found.
Lastly, the study confirmed the negative effect of pelleted feed, as compared to meal.
Busch was followed by Elodie Merlot of INRA, who showed how an improved housing system using larger pens enriched with deep straw bedding lowered blood granulocyte counts in sows; in other words, improved their immunity.
Also from France, Florence Barbe of Lallemand showed how combining usual health challenges on-farm such as a double vaccination against PCV2 and porcine influenza with repeated periods of heat stress appears to provide an accurate model of oxidative stress in weaned piglets. Subsequently, combined antioxidants (vitamin E, organic selenium, superoxide dismutase) helps restore antioxidant status and piglet health.
Ending off the day's discussions, in a symposium organised by MSD, invited speaker J. J. Jones of the Center of Food Integrity, a US non-profit organisation, showed in his study that transparency from food companies in the treatment of farm animals helped to build trust, and that nearly a third of consumers would hold farmers responsible for animal well-being.
