Farm management risk factors for swine respiratory disease

In an attempt to explain the relationship between farm management and respiratory disease, a study was undertaken to look at management practices on Prince Edward Island pig farms. Multivariable analyses were used to define the relationship between farm management variables, enzootic pneumonia, and pleuritis.

Respiratory disease data were obtained from slaughter examination of thoracic viscera. Trained technicians scored the lungs. The sensitivity and specificity of the gross visual examination was determined.

Three farm types had s significant relationship with enzootic pneumonia. Those farms that tended to mix pigs from different sources, that floor fed their pigs, and larger farms which made their own feed, and mixed and held slow growing pigs back, all had higher odds of having enzootic pneumonia.

Only two farm types, those that bought pigs from multiple sources, and those that employed floor feeding had a positive significant association with the prevalence of enzootic pneumonia.

There was no statistically significant relationship between the farm types and an increase in pleuritis prevalence on farms which had some pigs with pleuritis. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).