FACTORS AFFECTING MORTALITY IN GROWING AND FINISHING PIGS ON FARROW-TO-FINISH INDUSTRIAL FARMS IN GREECE: II. HYGIENE PRACTICES

摘要

Preventing the introduction and controlling the spread of porcine pathogens into a swine herd is an integral part of on-farm disease control (1,3). The objective of the present study, as a part of a broader survey dealing with factors affecting mortality in growing/finishing pigs, was to evaluate the potential effect of hygiene practices. A total of 23 farrow-to-finish industrial farms, representing 11.8% of the total greek farms with >= 150 sows under production, were selected (herd size was rangedbetween 150 and 2,200 sows). In each farm the animals were penned in confinement facilities and were supervised by a responsible veterinarian.