Identification and Care of the Compromised Pig

A guide for Western Australian Pig Farmers and Stockpeople

Animal welfare legislation in Western Australia

The Animal Welfare Act 2002 and accompanying Regulations affect people who own or work with animals including farmers, stockpeople, livestock transporters, livestock exporters, saleyard personnel and processors.

Under the legislation it is an offence to transport, confine, restrain or catch any animal in a way that causes, or is likely to cause, it unnecessary harm.

The legislation references Codes of Practice (Codes) that define what are regarded as acceptable welfare practices for pig husbandry and transport.

Note that transportation includes movement around and between farms, as well as transportation from the farm to the slaughterhouse.

Compliance with the Codes can be used as a defence

against a charge of animal cruelty in Western Australia.

Relevant legislation and Codes can be found at www.dlgrd.wa.gov.au/Legislation/AnimalWelfare/Default.asp

About this guide

This Guide has been developed in consultation with pork industry stakeholders and Government agencies to help you decide on suitable care for the compromised pig. The guide illustrates a range of severe conditions of the pig and their respective recommended treatment. There are also suggestions for a suitable course of action regarding the treatment of the compromised pig. The guide should be used in consultation with the farm veterinarian. The farm veterinarian will advise on suitable medications to be administered within the treatment period.

The basic principle is that a pig should be hospitalised as soon as it is identified as compromised relative to its peers

This guide should be used in conjunction with the “Fit to Load Guide” before transporting any pig

Suspect pigs

A pig is classified as a suspect to indicate to a slaughterhouse that it may not be fit for human consumption.

· A suspect pig must be fit to load and should be clearly identified (for example, by ear tagging). · Inform a slaughterhouse in writing why you think a pig is a suspect and ask for feedback. · Ideally load any suspect pigs at the rear of the truck so they are unloaded first and easiest.

Suspect pig individually ear tagged

Hospital Accommodation Design

· Pigs in this pen should be assessed at least twice a day. Appropriate treatment (if any) should be administered as advised by your veterinarian and the hospital pen records completed. · Deep dry bedded floor (straw) covering a non-slip concrete floor with good drainage. · Good ventilation with no draughts. Air speed under 0.2m/s. A kennelled area should be available. · Provide a feeder, which is hand filled twice daily. Feed intake for a healthy growing pig is about 4% bodyweight per day. For an adult it is about 1% bodyweight. To enable in-feed medication, there should never be too much food in the feeder. · Provide a bowl drinker. Set at 30 cm above the ground for 20 kg pigs or more. This drinker should be fed from a separate header tank to enable in-water medication if necessary · Easy entry and exit points should not have steps. · All hospital pen pigs should be tagged and treated as individuals on entry. · Pigs in the sick pen may need a companion of a similar size. · Each hospital pen should be of adequate size- about 7 m^2; to hold up to 10 wean to finish pigs or up to 3 sows.

The following pages describe major conditions of the pig. If the advice is to treat the pig, consult your veterinarian.

The general public should be reassured that the following images illustrate specific conditions (intended for training purposes only) and do not represent the normal pig found on Western Australian farms.

Care of the compromised runt piglet

If piglet is less than 800g at birth it only has a 10% chance of surviving to 100 kg	Runt piglet with a healthy pig
It will have a reduced growth potential
It will have a decreased lean potential – associated with its growth curve
It will have a decreased muscle quality – the muscles being firmer and meat quality reduced
They will be the last pigs out of the finishing house
They will have the poorest food conversion ration
They will be the most expensive pigs to produce
Most importantly to the rest of the herd:
They will consume less colostrum than their siblings
They will have increased risk of contracting pathogens
They will act as multiplication resources for pathogens
They are likely to cause the death and suffering of other pigs

The euthanasia of a runt pig in the farrowing area can improve the welfare and wellbeing of the rest of the herd

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Lameness
Condition	Off back legs	Fractured leg	Infected soft abscess in joints	Cannot walk with all four feet on the ground
Immediate action	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Small abscess – treat or if large, DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in a hospital pen or DESTROY immediately
Action after 7 days			DESTROY if no improvement	DESTROY if no improvement

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Lameness continued
Condition	Single infected joint non-discharging abscess less than golf ball size and able to walk unassisted	Hock sore Less than 6cm not lame	One infected foot not lame. No discharge and no swelling up the leg	Abnormality affecting walking
Immediate action	Identify pig as an individual. Treat as necessary	Identify pig as an individual. Place in bedded hospital pen	Identify pig as an individual. Treat as necessary	DESTROY immediately
Action after 7 days	When slaughtered send as suspect
Action after 14 days		DESTROY if no improvement	When slaughtered send separate as suspect

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Tail bitten
Condition	Abscessed	Base of spine exposed	Tail bitten and lame	Fresh, infected with no abscess
Immediate action	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Place in hospital pen
Action after 7 days				DESTROY if no improvement
Action after 14 days				DESTROY if no improvement

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Skin injuries
Condition	Abscesses	Open wound – cuts of any type	Grazes less than 6 cm	Flank bite
Immediate action	Identify pig as an individual. Treat if possible or DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen	Identify pig as an individual. Treat if necessary	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen
Action after 7 days	DESTROY if no improvement	Send to slaughter as a suspect	When slaughtered send as suspect	When slaughtered send as suspect

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Ear conditions
Condition	Aural haematoma	Crumpled ear	Middle ear – cannot walk unaided	Middle ear – can walk unaided
Immediate action	Treat for pain relief	No treatment necessary	DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen
Action after 7 days				DESTROY if no improvement

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Ruptures and hernias
Condition	Belly, scrotal or groin rupture more than 9 cm off the ground and less than 30 cm in diameter	Belly, scrotal or groin rupture with damage or injury	Hernia larger than 30 cm or with damage or injury	Hernia in contact with the ground
Immediate action	None	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately
Action after 7 days	Slaughter as soon as possible

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Other conditions
Condition	Rectal prolapse - Fresh, no smell, no bigger than 15 cm	Rectal prolapse Larger than 15 cm	Rectal stricture	Pneumonia or scouring pig Walking but off food
Immediate action	Identify pig as an individual. Treat or Send to slaughterhouse separate pen	DESTROY immediately	DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in the pen 24 hours no improvement move to hospital pen
Action after 7 days				DESTROY if no improvement

Care of the compromised piglet, weaner, grower and finisher pig

Other conditions
Condition	Meningitis	Small or Bullied pig	Thin pig less than condition score 2.5	Abnormalities – example is “kinky back”
Immediate action	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen or DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen	Identify pig as an individual. Discuss with your vet
Action after 7 days	DESTROY if no improvement	DESTROY if no improvement	DESTROY if no improvement	If the animal is unfit for human consumption DESTROY immediately

Care of the compromised adult pig

Lameness
Condition	Off back legs	Acutely lame	Lame with no obvious cause	Abscess
Immediate action	DESTROY immediately	Severe – DESTROY immediately Otherwise treat in hospital pen	If severe DESTROY immediately Otherwise treat in hospital pen	Severe – DESTROY Identify pig as an individual. Treat if abscess can be drained. When slaughtered send as suspect
Action after 7 days		DESTROY if no improvement	DESTROY if no improvement	DESTROY if no improvement

Care of the compromised adult pig

Reproductive and Prolapses
Condition	Uterine	Vaginal or perineal- fresh	Rectal prolapse	Dystocia – farrowing difficulties
Immediate action	Treat or DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Immediate slaughter, treat or DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Immediate slaughter, treat or DESTROY immediately	Treat immediately – if piglets cannot be removed DESTROY immediately. Do not send to the slaughterhouse

Care of the compromised adult pig

Injuries
Condition	Traumatic injuries - severe	Traumatic injuries - mild	Shoulder sores	Ulcerated granuloma
Immediate action	DESTROY immediately	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen Send to slaughter as suspect if wound still open	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen Send to slaughter as suspect if wound still open	Identify pig as an individual. Treat in hospital pen Send to slaughter as suspect if wound still open

Care of the compromised adult pig

Others
Condition	Mammary chronic abscess	Small gilt/bullied sow or gilt	Emaciated – condition score 1
Immediate action	Identify pig as an individual. If small send to slaughter as a suspect. If large or ulcerated DESTROY immediately	Separate, and if necessary, place in hospital pen	Condition score less than 1 (above) DESTROY immediately Condition score above 1 place in hospital pen. Review gestation feeding regimes
Action after 7 days			DESTROY or review in 7 days
Action after 14 days			DESTROY if no improvement

Decision tree towards care and management of compromised pigs

Humane destruction (Following the Model Code 2008 AU)

Various euthanasia methods in pigs

	Piglets <3 weeks old	Nursery pig < 10 weeks	Growing pig	Finishing pig	Mature Sow or boar
	Birth – 6 kg	6-30 kg	30-75 kg	75 kg +
Carbon dioxide	Yes	Yes	Not practical	Not practical	Not practical
Gunshot	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Captive bolt	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blunt trauma	Yes	No	No	No	No
For veterinarians only
Anaesthetic overdose	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes