Elimination of respiratory pathogens in endemically infected swine herds by nursery depopulation

Kim, Bong-hwan; Joo, Han-soo

Korean Journal of Veterinary Research 1997;37(4):755-763.

Bong-hwan Kim¹, Han-soo Joo²

¹College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University
²College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota

Nursery depopulation 기법에 의한 돼지 호흡기질병 상재돈군의 호흡기 병인체 전파방지에 관한 연구

김봉환¹, 주한수²

¹경북대학교 수의과대학
²미네소타대학교 수의과대학

Abstract

Recently new technologies for the establishment of high health herds are becoming efficient tools in the control of PRRS virus and secondary infections. Medicated early weaning(MEW) and nursery depopulation(ND) have shown to be one of the most successful procedures in the eradication and control of pathogens. Indirect evidence of the role of PRRSV in precipitating secondary infection comes from successful improvement in growth and in decreasing mortality on farms that have eliminated PRRSV through ND. Hence the present experiments were conducted in an effort to compare ND with MEW procedures as a means of eliminating PRRSV controlling secondary pathogens and improving performance of pigs in endemically infected swine herds. Following MEW and ND procedures practiced in the farms, some benefits obtained were as follows: 1. A decrease in PRRSV circulation in the nursery, but no entire elimination. 2. Decrease in the frequency of secondary bacteria and in the use of antibiotics. 3. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection was prevented during the nursery stage. 4. ND protocol had a lower cost and management changes than MEW techniques. 5. Nursery performance was improved after the depopulation, cleaning and disinfection procedures, even though PRRSV still being cycled in the old nursery rooms. These studies revealed that the MEW and ND protocols are not always successful for PRRS virus elimination but it's great effect on control of secondary pathogens and improvement of performance make MEW and ND an efficient tools for the establishment of healthier and more efficient herds.

Key Words: nursery depopulation, elimination of respiratory pathogens, endemic herds, medicated early weaning, PRRSV