Herd Health Management

INFORMATION SHEET No. 4.
4-1
Herd Health Management
Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. identify the preventive measures on the occurrence of
diseases,
2. Infer proper care for finishers.
Herd Management
From the interview with the Farm Management staff, it was established
that sows and boars are housed in individual pens with concrete floors with a
slope of about 4% to allow for drainage. Sows and boars are allowed into a
single boar pen for mating purposes. The piglets are allowed to suckle for four
weeks and then weaned. They are then reared in group pens until they reach
market liveweight of about 60 kg.
The piglets are creep fed at two weeks of age up to weaning age. A pig
grower ration was introduced at four weeks of age; after six weeks of age, pigs
are fed a finisher ration. Sows and boars are fed sow and boar meal each at 2
kg per pig given in two parts; one in the morning and the other in the late
afternoon. At farrowing a sow is given 3.5 kg of feed plus half a kilogram for
each piglet in the litter depending on the appetite of the pig. Thomton (1999)
reported that feed intake should be related to the stage of production of the pig
and further recommended up to 3.5 kg feed during gestation and ad libitum
feeding during lactation. Many authors recommend ad libitum feeding of the
sow during lactation Neil (1996) reported that a high plane nutrition fed ad
libitum during lactation improves the ability of sows to come into oestrus after
weaning.
Water to all the pigs was given ad libitum in drinking nipples in all pens.
The pigs are also sprayed with water twice a day to clean and cool them off
reducing heat stress which normally affects feed intake and productivity (Ayo et
al 1998).
The boar is introduced to the sow whenever she showed signs of heat. The
gestation period of a pig is 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days. Selection of
replacement breeding gilts was done at six months of age. Gilts were put to the
boar at seven to nine months of age.
Animal Health
Responsibility of the veterinarian:
 The veterinarian should be the overall responsible person for animal
Health and welfare management and should obtain license from
competent authority,
 The health status of the animals in the farm should be monitored and
recorded regularly by the farm, and veterinary assessment of the
establishment should be carried out annually by a licensed veterinarian
and/or by a competent authority.
 There must be a written animal health program in place, including
vaccination and deworming, that is updated regularly and in accordance
with the requirement adopted against the diseases specified by the
competent authorities.
 Sick, injured or disabled animals should isolated from herd and kept in a
specific area for treatment and prevention of transmitting disease to
other pigs.
Use of veterinary products:

 Drugs, medicines, and vaccines should be administered appropriately by
a licensed veterinarian or trained personnel under the supervision of a
licensed veterinarian.
 Drugs or medicines should only be used for prophylactic and treatment
reasons. The use of illegal and banned medication and vaccines should
be prohibited (use vaccines registered with BAI: the same with controlled
drugs.)
 Drugs, medicines, and vaccines should be stored and identified properly;
proper disposal of these items should be followed to prevent
contamination to the environment.
 The use of needle during injection should be done in such a way that no
part of broken needle remains in pig body. There should be determining
practices for preventing needle remnant in pigs, e.g. measures to control
the number of needle used in farm, checking needle number before and
after use, and total number of needles used in farm. Farm should have
corrective action for remained needle in pig body.
Disease outbreak or suspicion of epidemic disease:

 In the case of outbreak of disease or suspicion of epidemic disease,
farm should strictly follow the related law or regulation by competent
authority.
 The farm operator should report immediately or within 24 hours to
relevant authorities if morbidity or mortality rate of pigs in the farm is
found to be abnormally high or is indicative of notifiable disease as
mandated by the competent authority.
Animal Welfare
 Proper techniques should be applied to handle and restrain animals.
 Animals should always be handled and restrained in such a way to
protect them from fear, stress, pain and injury.
 Appropriate facilities, equipment and tools should be provided and used
in handling or restraining the animals.
 Appropriate tools should be used for the purpose of effective animal
management and the operators should acquire the skills and techniques
to use the tools.
 Tools should be used in a manner that minimize stress and does not
injure the animals.
 Tools should be functional for efficient application on the animals by the
operators.
 Sick, injured or disabled should be given the necessary veterinary
attention, including humane euthanasia if necessary.
 Sticks or canes should not be used to restrain the farm animals.
However, a cane may be used for the worker's safety when handling
larger or aggressive animals
Care of Growing-Finishing Pigs

Transfer the piglets from the elevated decks to the growing finishing pens
at 90 days or around 35 kg weight. At this weight range, they are sturdy and
will easily adjust to their new environment. Group the pigs according to sizes
and weight, and/or according to sex.
When the piglets have "settled in", minimize the transfer of pigs from one
group to another. Fighting among newly regrouped pigs may happen, which
may cause undue stress; thus, affecting the feedlot performance. Gradual
change of feeds should be practiced. Mix the previous ration to the new ration
by using the following ratios: 75% previous ration: 25% new ration on the first
two days; 50% previous ration: 50% new ration on the next two days; and 25%
previous ration: 75% new ration on the last two days. Give the entire new
ration after these transitions.
A good finisher will weigh at least 90 kg at the age of 5% months.
Sell the slow growers (runts) for "lechon" or other purposes. These are
inefficient feed converters, which may pull down the average growing herd
performance. Moreover, in most cases, the runts are subclinically sick and may
harbor infections that may lead to disease outbreak in the farm. Runts and
slow growers should not be more than 5% of the growing-finishing population

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INFORMATION SHEET No. 4.

Use of veterinary products:

Disease outbreak or suspicion of epidemic disease:

Care of Growing-Finishing Pigs

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