Abstract:

Herd- and litter-level factors associated with the incidence of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in piglets 1 to 3 days of age

Thomas E.Wittum, PhD; Catherine E. Dewey, DVM, PhD; H. Scott Hurd, DVM, PhD; David A. Dargatz, DVM, PhD; and George W. Hill, MS

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We used National Swine Survey data collected by the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) to identity litter and herd factors associated with the risk of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets. A total of 28,266 litters in 703 herds, monitored for producer-observed health events during 1990, were included in our analysis. The average rote of diarrhea morbidity among 1- to 3-day-old piglets was approximately one new case per day for a producer with an average inventory of 100 piglets. Diarrhea mortality averaged approximately one death every 10 days for the same-sized herd. Both diarrhea morbidity and mortality were lower among herds that vaccinated sows against Escherichia coli. The risk of diarrhea morbidity and mortality was higher among litters in which the sow experienced health problems within 3 days postfarrowing.This suggests that the use of E. coli vaccines, along with careful observation of the postpartum sow for health problems and appropriate intervention practices, might reduce the occurrence of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in 1- to 3-day-old piglets.

Keywords: diarrhea, piglets, Escherichia coli

RIS citationCite as: Wittum TE, Dewey CE, Hurd HS, et al. Herd- and litter-level factors associated with the incidence of diarrhea morbidity and mortality in piglets 1 to 3 days of age. J Swine Health Prod 1995;3(3):99-104.

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