Vital Awareness

Michaela Giles spotlights the latest campaigns aimed at raising awareness among keepers about the threats posed to their pigs by two serious diseases

- Michaela Giles

Two endemic diseases that can affect pigs in the UK, namely Swine Dysentery and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, can have debilitating effects on a pig herd. The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) along with the support of allied industries, is keen to raise awareness and prevent the spread of these two diseases, through proactive knowledge dissemination.

Swine Dysentery

This is a common enteric (gut) problem in pigs, in all pig-rearing countries. In the UK, the industry has worked together to mitigate the impact of the disease, with an emphasis on early control and prevention of spread. This has proved to be a success that’s led to fewer clinical cases being reported, and a marked reduction in spread.

It is, however, still a serious concern, with the most recent case from the Yorkshire region reported at the end of October, 2017. Consequently, it’s very important to know the signs of Swine Dysentery (SD), to ensure a prompt control of the situation, and AHDB has numerous practical advice sheets [Table 1] detailing the clinical signs in text and photographs [Fig 1], and the effects of SD in your herd.

Action for Productivity Health Fact Sheet number 23 Swine Dysentery [Fig 2], shows you how to achieve on-farm targets to prevent and/or control an outbreak of SD, with links to Action for Productivity 10: Cleaning and Disinfection and 13: Biosecurity advice fact sheets.