How to cut PMWS mortality outdoors

摘要

Outdoor systems may appear to produce a healthier and a less stressful environment for pigs, but when PMWS/PDNS strikes there are no advantages. But experience shows that improving biosecurity, adopting stringent hygiene protocols and reducing stressoffers very real benefits. Rattlerow's 500-sow Levington unit, fell victim to PMWS during the winter of 2000-2001. Post-weaning mortality peaked at 18.4 percent in January 2001 and unit manager John Theobald decided radical changes were needed to regaincontrol. 'We had already seen how Clean-Flow had helped ease the situation on one of our indoor units and felt that we could make similar changes to our routine to control PMWS, he explains. The three-man team of John, Stuart Goldsmith and Robert Welhamrun a very tight ship which is reflected in the herd's consistently good performance (see table). So, watching post-weaning mortality increase so rapidly was very demoralising.