Comments from the field about PCV2 - 20th May 2009
At a recent set of Nursery and Finisher workshops for contract units the groups were asked how the PCV2 vaccine had altered their management and performance of the pigs. For most units it had halved their mortality with overall mortality from the group going from 5% to 2.5%. With comments such as "pigs dont die anymore", everything is a lot easier now".
The vet emphasised now PCV2 vaccine is in
the system mortality should not be a problem so if you do get deaths then you
need to raise this with your vet quickly. Performance has also improved with
nursery units commenting that pigs stayed more even as they grew once split into
sized groups the average within a group stayed tight and they all grew together
rather than dissipating.
Another point to note was on recovery pig
management. We have to rethink our strategy – which is a nice place to be.
Systems should be looked at again now illnesses can be identified and
individually treated without circulating PCV2 is not a
problem.