The Rural Voice, 1987-10, Page 54SUPERB TRACTION
SMOOTH RIDE
.LOW COST OF WEAR
TRACTOR
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BY
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Dealer or Contact
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(519) 699.4545
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52 THE RURAL VOICE
ADVICE
CHECKLIST FOR
SWINE HEALTH
Evaluating a swine operation so that
decisions can be made to reduce the
outbreak of respiratory diseases is easier
when following a checklist which de-
velops a profile of your operation.
The following checklist, devised at
Iowa State University, covers several
aspects of swine production.
Please answer these questions yes or
no, and update them every three months.
1. Do you walk through the pens
frequently?
2. Do the pigs appear comfortable,
i.e., are they piled up?
3. Are the pens clean and draft -free,
including the sleeping areas?
4. Are heat lamps, hovers, bedding,
or supplemental heat available?
5. Is the air quality satisfactory?
Regular air patterns are most important.
6. Are dust levels controlled by
periodic cleaning of fans and heat ex-
changers?
7. Do you use a maximum -mini-
mum thermometer to record the tem-
perature highs and lows over a 24-hour
period?
8. Are pigs identified for age by ear
notching that indicates birth date?
9. Are small groups of pigs with
similar ages kept together?
10. Is all -in, all-out movement prac-
tised in the various stages of produc-
tion?
11. Do you have records to track the
number of days to market?
12. Are periodic veterinary inspec-
tions made?
13. Are slow growers sold or put in
separate buildings away from other
swine?
14. Are dead pigs examined to find
a cause of death?
15. Are respiratory problems diag-
nosed by a veterinarian?
16. Do you have data or perform-
ance losses from respiratory disease?
17. Do you have an evaluation of
which diseases are causing losses?
18. Do you have a written plan of
action to control respiratory disease?
19. Do you vaccinate pigs according
to manufacturer's or veterinarian's rec-
ommendations?
(cont'd)
i