The Rural Voice, 1979-06, Page 55Lab, even when the explosive outbreaks of the disease seem to
have subsided, won't disappear. "We are now seeing chronic
cases of H. Peneumonia. The pigs look like they are about five
and a half months old, but actually they are eight months. When
these pigs are euthanized and opened up their lungs are almost
completely rotten."
Dr. Sanford was one of four veterinarians who met with a
group of Huron County hog producers at Londesboro Hall on
May 10th to exchange information and experience on H.
Peneumonia. The meeting was organized by the Huron
Federation of Agriculture and Huron Pork Producers.
Dr. Mike Weber from the Dept. of Epidemiology, University of
Guelph, traced the history of the disease, first diagnosed in
Argentina in the 1930's and in the United Kingdow and Europe
in the early 1960's. It surfaced in California in the late 1960's and
in Saskatchewan in the early 1970's. The latest outbreak in
Southwestern Ontario appears to be the largest to date. No cases
have been reported in eastern or northern Ontario.
"We do not know what has triggered the outbreak of H.
Pneumonia in Ontario in the past 18 months," Dr. Weber said.
We have not been able to trace the problem to imports form other
countries or other provinces. Also, we are not sure if any other
host animals. (other than pigs) harbour the H. Pneumonia bug."
Dr. Weber explained that when scientists study a disease such
as H. Pneumonia, they find a complex web of "cause and affect"
which includes housing, ventilaton, weather, feed, agent
carrying the disease, and the pig itself.
If a pig dies, have a post mortem done
Dr. Bob Friendship from the Seaforth Vet Clinic had some
advice for hog farmers who would like to minimize their chances
of getting H. Pneumonia in their barns:
1. Keep your ventilation at maximum efficiency. Do not allow a
build-up of moisture or ammonia.
2. Do not overcrowd your pigs.
3. Make sure your feed is of a high quality.
4. Avoid stress of all kinds.
5. If possible, buy your pigs from one source and learn all you
can about the health status of the originating herd.
6. If one of your pigs dies, have a post mortem done by a vet .
immediately. Do not assume that the pigs died of a heart
attack or ulcers.
"The most remarkable feature of this disease is the quickness
with which it kills the pigs," Dr. Friendship told the audience.
"100 -Ib. pigs are doing quite well and suddenly they drop dead.
You may see some heavy breathing in an infected pig and there
may be some bleeding from the nostrils just before they die."
Dr. Friendship said he had found that chloramphenicol in the
water used at higher than normal rates had been the most
reliable treatment drug. A problem may develop if the pigs will
not drink because they do not like the taste of the medicated
water. The farmer must then inject the animals with
chloramphenicol for 2 or 3 days.
It was the general consensus of all the vets at the meeting that
farmers should avoid buying pigs from ales barns. One vet has
since told this writer that some groups of weanlings are re -sold
two or three times within one week at different sales barns. This
type of stress on a pig will certainly increase its chances of
becoming sick. This vet suggested that when weanlings are
rejected by a vet at a sales barn they should each be marked with
an indelible ink which would not wear off for at least a month.
Dr. Soren Rosenthal from the Dept. of Veterinarian
Microbiology, University of Guelph, descirbed how Langford
Labs can prepare an autogenous vaccine for a particular barn by
culturing the bacteria from the lung of a dead pig from that farm.
The drawback of this vaccine is that it can only be used on the
one farm for which it was made. It is illegal to use it in any other
barn. What needs to be developed is a vaccine for breeding stock
and young pigs.
Dr. Rosenthal said a serological test had been developed
which would allow a vet to take a blood sample from a pig and tell
if that pig has or has had H. Pleuropneumonia. The use of this
test would identify carriers -- a pig with the H. Pneumonia
organism in his lungs or tonsils, but a pig who is not sick and
shows no clinical signs of pneumonia. However, if a herd has
been vaccinated for H. Pneumonia, the blood test will not
identify the carriers. Also, the vaccine will not cure the carriers.
Dr. Friendship warned that farmers who have had H.
Pneumonia in their barns should not relax their vigil. He has
seen recurrences of this disease. Dr. Sanford said that the labs
have seen this bacteria in pigs of all ages: sows, boars, gilts,
suckling pigs, aborted fetuses. This disease is not confined to
just finishing barns. Dr. Mike Weber said that he personally
does not know of a completely closed herd that has had H.
Pneumonia. But Dr. Peter Oliver OMAF Swine Specialist claims
he has seen it in closed herds. "We suspect it is air born," says
Dr. Oliver.
Everyone at the meeting agreed that many of the questions
about this killer disease have yet to be answered. A resolution
was passed by producers at the meeting asking the OPPMB to
look into compensation for affected owners and increased
money for research.
Adrain Vos, Huron County Director on the Pork Board will
present this resolution at the next meeting of the Ontario Pork
Producers Marketing Board.
Rural Voice has learned from Dr. J.C. Rennie, Asst. Deputy
Minister of O.M.A.F. that $20,000. from a Special Project Fund
has been allocated to the University of Guelph for research into
Hemophilus Pleuropneumonia, which may lead to development
of a_universal vaccine aeainctthis kip c�icease.
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THE RURAL VOICE/JUNE 1979 PG. 53