Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Treatments for various external parasites can be applied in different ways. There are sprays,
dips, pour-ons, and feed additives. Some of the treatments are aimed at treating the pigs' in-
door living area. Again, make sure you read the label carefully and apply the product prop-
erly, or it will not work effectively.
Tips for disease prevention
There are many things farmers can do to prevent disease and illness on their farms and keep
their pigs healthy.
Isolation
If you have an already-established herd and you are bringing in new pigs, it is in the best in-
terests of your pigs to isolate the newcomers for two to three months when they arrive. They
should be kept at least 100 yards away from where your current pigs are to ensure the new
pigs will not spread any diseases to your herd. It will give your new pigs time to adjust to life
in their new surroundings. If you turn them lose into the same pen as your current pigs, you
will cause your pigs a great deal of stress, and it will most likely lead to aggression and fight-
ing. Give your new pigs time to settle in while you observe them for any signs of illness.
If you are bringing sows to your farm for breeding to your boar, they should arrive several
weeks before breeding so you can monitor them. They will need time to accustom themselves
to their surroundings. Some sows might go out of season temporarily when they are moved to
a new farm, though they probably will come back in season quickly if the boar is in a nearby
pen. Allow the sows and the boar to become used to each other from a distance. If the visiting
sows have a few weeks on your farm, they will have time to develop antibodies to any viruses
on your farm and will build up immunity before breeding.
Finally, it is a good idea to have an isolation pen or a small pig house where you can keep a
sick pig. When one of your pigs does become ill, you will need to remove it from the other
pigs immediately both so you can treat it, and so it will not have a chance to keep infecting
the other pigs. Whatever you use, remember that it is vital to clean the area with a good deter-
gent before you try to disinfect it. It will do no good to disinfect an area that still has debris or
fecal matter in the floor. If you are cleaning an open area, you may wish to consider using a
pressure washer, especially if you have been handling pigs with viruses.
Vaccination
