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COMPARISON OF VACCINATION WITH COGLAPIX^® AND TARGETED MEDICATION IN THE PREVENTION OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA IN PIGS

ByKrejci R.¹, Révész T.²

¹Ceva, Libourne, France;
²Ceva Phylaxia, Budapest, Hungary.

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Introduction

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A.p) continues to be an economically important pathogen causing pleuropneumonia in pigs throughout the world. It can appear as a singular disease, or more frequently as an important part of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). Porcine pleuropneumonia results in substantial production losses including high mortality and reduced growth rate in growing and fattening pigs. Even herds with subclinical forms of the disease can be seriously affected with substantial overall losses due to lower growth performance, feed efficiency and additional medication cost.

Antibiotics are frequently used for the mass repeated medication in growing and finishing phase to control pleuropneumonia. Current trend in pig farming is to reduce the overall use of antibiotics, particularly in the oral forms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of vaccination on health and economic balance in comparison with the targeted medication against A.p.

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Materials and methods

In total 541 weaned piglets in farm with endemic pleuropneumonia problems were randomly assigned in two equal groups G1 and G2.

G1 pigs were vaccinated with Coglapix^® at 7 and 10 weeks of age (W).

G2 pigs were medicated with florphenicol (200pm) and amoxicillin (20mg/kg lbw) for 6 days at 12W and 14W.

Standard prophylactic medication with colistin (post-weaning) and tiamulin with CTC (prevention of dysentery at 15W) practiced in the farm, remained unchanged for both groups.

Total loss in the fattening period and average daily gain in the whole weaning-to-slaughter period (ADG) was measured. Pigs were examined at slaughter (100 pigs per group) for lung lesions according to SPES method, which is suggestive for previous A.p induced pleuropneumonia¹. APPI index was calculated to evaluate the incidence and extension of dorso-caudal pleurisy.

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Results

The overall performance improved in the G1 compared to G2. The total loss in the fattening phase of G1 represented 41% of the total loss in G2 and the ADG within the weaning-slaughter time was 15 grams higher in G1 (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Performance indicators of G1 and G2

The lung scoring showed differences in the incidence (Figure 2) of dorso-caudal pleurisy as well as in the extension of those lesions (Figure 3).

Figure 2 Incidence of A.p-like lesions in slaughter pigs

Figure 3 APPI index of A.p-like lesions in slaughter pigs

Figure 4 Healthy lungs (a) and monolateral extended dorso-caudal pleurisy typical for previous A.p infection (b)

The cost of prevention of pleuropneumonia was 2.58€ less in G1 than in G2 (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Cost of vaccination and medication per pig

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Conclusions

Vaccination with Coglapix^® appeared more efficient against the A.p infection than the targeted medication in terms of protection of health and performance. It was also less expensive. Prevention through vaccination is also perfectly in line with the current trends of responsible use of antibiotics.

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Bibliography

¹Dottori M., et al 2007

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(Source: Axis Issue 02 / Sept 2013 - Ceva Asia Pacific - Proceedings APVS 2013)

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