Streptococcus suis meningitis in weaners- check list

Farm:                           Date:                 

    

 

 

Check

Undisturbed group of pigs

Examine and record lying pattern of undisturbed pigs – picture/video

 

Behaviour of pigs around the water supply - picture/video

 

Behaviour of pigs around the feeders - picture/video

 

Stock

Clinical pigs respond to ceftiofur or penicillin

 

Check for PRRSv

Blood results – note 21 days antibody delay

 

PMWS/PCVAD

Ensure that the pigs were vaccinated at weaning – PCV2

 

Check vaccine purchases correspond to weaning numbers

 

Check medicine storage – 2-8°C

 

Post-mortem

Ensure diagnosis correct  - picture/video

 

Sick pigs

Treatment of sick pigs

 

Movement of recovered pigs

 

Collect true mortality and morbidity figures

 

Check weaning age and weight

Age at weaning

 

Weight at weaning

 

Immunology

Feedback programme

 

Pig flow

Collect true weaning/farrowing/breeding and gilt numbers by batch

 

All-in/all-out

AIAO by pigs, water, feed, floor, air and medicine.

 

Medicines

Ensure needles and syringes not used between different groups.

 

Water

Flow – 700 mls

 

Height – 13-30cm

 

Number of drinkers

 

Cleaning programme between batches

 

Floor

Nursery pigs need 0.3 m2  per pig (to 30 kg)

 

Cleaning programme between batches

 

Air

Temperature cooling curve 30°C entry

 

Cooling 1°C per week to 24°C

 

Relative humidity (50-75% RH)

 

Gas heating – check colour of flame and CO concentration

 

Many farms with a meningitis problem staff have “headaches”

 

High dust and endotoxin issues

 

Note level of slurry under slats – air flow from underneath slats?

 

Draughts in the “proposed sleeping area”

 

Examine defecation pattern of pigs

 

Smoke buildings and record air movement patterns - picture/video

 

Cleaning programme between batches

 

Feed

Feed space (50 mm per pig 30 kg) and feeder management

 

 What is the Vit E concentration in the feed?  Ideally 250mg/kg

 

Gruel feeding regime 3-4 days post-weaning

 

Problem coincides with a change in diet/feed type and feed size

 

Cleaning programme between batches

 

Other problems

PRRSv, PCVAD/PMWS and Mange are classical examples of problems.

 

Eliminate any additional stressors at weaning – weighing, tagging, bleeding

 

 

Report by:

 

 

Meningitis in pigs

Meningitis investigation