Farrowing house scours are an oftentimes a frustrating and complex challenge that require a multi-modal approach to control. While on the sow, multiple factors can influence piglet scour severity and prevalence. These factors can generally be grouped into three categories: environment, pathogen burden and immune protection.
1. Provide a healthy environment.
There are several facets to consider when evaluating the environment within a farrowing house. These include temperature, humidity and air movement. Specific target temperatures will vary from farm to farm, but in general we want to keep our sows cool and piglets warm. This is accomplished by the creation of a microclimate using supplemental heat for the piglets in an area of the stall away from the sow. Properly functioning ventilation systems are an important tool in controlling temperature as well as humidity by controlling the air flow through a room. Reducing the humidity can help slow the proliferation of bacteria and the survival of viruses that cause piglet scours.
2. Reduce the pathogen burden.
When trying to control scours, it’s important to reduce the pathogen burden. Regardless of the pathogen, good sanitation and hygiene is critical. While it may sound basic, washing with hot water instead of cold water is more effective and efficient. Disinfectants are another critical component, as they can inactivate viruses and kill bacteria. Different disinfectants have varying spectrums of activity, and depending on the pathogens you are dealing with, some disinfectants may work better than others. Prioritize addressing biofilms that can harbor disease-causing organisms when washing. Using a detergent or degreaser in the wash process can help break down these biofilms. Lastly, white washing farrowing rooms has become a popular intervention to control scours. This has been found to be especially helpful when dealing with coccidia.
Click here to see more...