| Information sheets | | | Elsenburg infopaks | | | Animals, diseases: 9 |
The healthy pig
Afrikaans | Xhosa
Like all living creatures, the pig has certain needs that have to be met to ensure its optimal growth and health. These needs are briefly as follows:
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Temperature control is very important. Pigs do not adapt well to extremes in temperature. If they are kept in sties, their needs vary according to age. For young piglets, the optimum temperature varies between 27°C and 30°C, while for older pigs it is considerably lower. |
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A pig's lungs are very small. Fresh air is essential for preventing lung problems such as
pneumonia. A poorly ventilated sty can cause a build-up of ammonium that can irritate the pig's lungs, eventually causing pneumonia. Ammonia is a heavy gas that attains high densities at about human knee height, or the height of a pig, especially early in the morning.
Although fresh and clean air is therefore a must, wind or a draught in the sty is undesirable. |
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The sty must always be clean. Germ build-up in dirty conditions leads to diseases. Rat control in the sty is very important, because rats transmit diseases like leptospirosis. Flies, mites, lice and internal parasites such as ascarids can be combated by good parasite control. Measles in pork can be avoided by not allowing pigs to come near human effluent.
Any veterinarian or animal health technician will give you further information on the control of parasites. |
Avoid rough, uneven floor surfaces, because this can cause infection of the joints or injuries. A warm and comfortable place in which to sleep, is essential.
Never keep too many pigs in a sty with a limited floor area. It leads to the build-up of ammonia, manure and germs. It also leads to tail biting and fighting to establish pig rank order.
In addition to environmental needs, the pig also has definite nutritional requirements.
Piglets must ingest colostrum as soon as possible after they are born. Of all farm animals, the pig is the most immature at birth. Therefore piglets have particular needs that must be met for them to be able to survive.
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Although pigs normally eat anything, this does not mean that they can live only on offal. A balanced diet is essential. Otherwise deficiency diseases, poor growth and even death may occur. |
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Musty feeds must never be fed to pigs because they may contain
fungus toxins to which pigs are sensitive. Sufficient and clean water must also always be available.
Eating and drinking surfaces must always be large enough to prevent stress, tail biting and bite wounds. These may result in abscesses and skin diseases. In addition to the number of times that pigs must be fed daily, and the quantity of the feed, feed management also includes the avoidance of quick changes in kinds of feed. A slow adaptation is desirable. |
Pig diseases
Stress is one of the most important causes of pig diseases. If the needs of the pig are not met, stress conditions arise that reduce the body's resistance to disease.
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In addition to the limiting of stressful conditions, inoculation is used as a management aid to control certain diseases. Some of the most important diseases and viruses for which inoculants are available, are |
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Escherichia coli, Leptospirosis, Erysipelas and Parvovirus.
Remember that the inoculation of pigs is only an aid against disease and not a measure solely to be relied on. The most important pig diseases can be listed according to the part of the body that is attacked. |
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Alimentary tract or intestinal diseases such as E. coli and |
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pig dysentery are often characterised by diarrhoea. In some cases the pig dies before any symptoms become manifest. Feeding and hygiene are important control measures.
In the case of lung diseases, the pigs cough or sneeze, and in serious cases, the pigs look off colour. The pigs may even die before any signs of disease can be observed. To prevent a lung disease, much fresh air is necessary and extremes of temperature that, together, contribute to stress, must be avoided. |
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Skin diseases can cause thickening of the skin and ulcers may also develop. Some skin diseases cause itching so that the pig is constantly scratching itself. Skin diseases have many causes and in order to apply the correct treatment, it is important to determine which disease is involved. |
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Breeding problems can be caused by a variety of diseases. The problem may present as abortion, piglets born dead, small litters or sows that are served, but do not conceive. The cause could be Parvovirus or Leptospirosis. Both these diseases can be prevented by inoculation. However, hygiene is also important. If sows give birth in dirty sties, this could lead to post-natal uterine infection. |
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Arthritis, that is joint and bone problems, manifests as a limp or as swelling of the pig's joints or paws. In extreme cases the pig refuses to get up. The causes can be sought in fighting, tail biting, infection of the umbilical cord, uneven floor surfaces and ineffective hygiene during inoculation. Arthritis is one of the main causes of disqualification at abattoirs.
Always remember that it is easier and cheaper to prevent pig diseases than to treat them. |
A van Halderen
ELSENBURG / Provincial Veterinary
Laboratory
