Summertime Coccidiosis Challenges in Pigs

May 21, 2023 — 

The hot, humid days of summer often bring the challenge of coccidiosis in pre-weaned piglets in the farrowing barn, but that challenge has now become more prevalent year-round, according to Laura Bruner, DVM, with the Swine Vet Center in St. Peter, Minnesota.

In the last couple of years, coccidiosis in young pigs has been a hot topic because the disease management tools available in the past have not been available due to supply chain issues, she added.

Typically, the classic presentation of a coccidia infection on a sow farm is a yellow and pasty diarrhea that develops around 7-14 days of age in piglets. The diarrhea is very noticeable - it's thicker, not a watery diarrhea that would go through the flooring - and it builds up in the crate and environment, she explained.

Coccidiosis generally does not cause mortality in piglets but does cause significant loss of gain - so it wouldn't be surprising for pigs with a heavy coccidia infection to weigh 1-2 pounds less at weaning than uninfected pigs. "It definitely hurts the gain of the pig, and when you talk about gain in pigs, that's everything. How fast can I get them to market?" Bruner said.

Along with coccidia challenges, secondary infections are possible because enteric cells of the gut become disrupted, which allows other enteric bacterial and viral pathogens to invade the intestinal lining. These secondary infections are more likely to cause mortality, especially if the pig becomes really chronic.

Read the full story at National Hog Farmer.

[Source: National Hog Farmer 16 May 2023]