Lameness in Irish pigs. Laura Boyle Teagasc Moorepark

Transcription

1 Lameness in Irish pigs Laura Boyle Teagasc Moorepark

2 Introduction o 35% culling rate due to lameness and claw lesions o Lame sows < 3 litters; non-lame sows=3.5 litters o Poor longevity, high replacement rates o Piglet mortality: Lame sows=27.7% vs. non-lame sows=12.4% o Increased labour, veterinary costs, lost genetic premium, and decreased slaughter value o Poor welfare: pain, less active, lower food and water intake, limited ability to perform social/exploratory behaviours o Lameness has significant economic and welfare implications

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7 Claw lesions 100% prevalence of claw lesions in sows

8 Oesteochondrosis Normal Joint lesions

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10 Limb lesions

11 0 = Normal Non-lame 1 = Pig appears stiff 2 = Shortened stride 3 = No weight bearing on affected limb 4 = Affected limb elevated off floor 5 = Pig does not move Lame

12 0 = Normal Non-lame 1 = Pig appears stiff 2 = Shortened stride 3 = No weight bearing on affected limb 4 = Affected limb elevated off floor 5 = Pig does not move Lame

13 Lameness research presented o Study of sows in loose vs. stalls o Survey of lameness prevalence o Risk factors for lameness o Rubber flooring and developer diets

14 Lameness in stall vs. group housed sows N=43 N=42 Compared lameness scores at transfer to the farrowing house (d110) Lameness score Group housing Gestation stalls % % Lameness is likely to become a bigger problem now that sows are group housed Calderon Diaz et al. in press JAS

15 Study of lameness prevalence and risk factors for lameness in Irish pigs o 68 pig farms surveyed between Mar. 11 and Dec. 12 o Information on management, housing, feeding, genetics o Environmental recordings (dimensions, systems, materials) o Animal based measurements (limb/claw lesions and locomotory ability) o +10,000 pigs at all stages of the production cycle

16 Lameness prevalence in Ireland Lameness score 2 Lameness score 3 3% 5% 5% 7% 7%

17 Limb and claw lesion prevalence in piglets Prevalence (%) Skin abrasion Sole bruising Sole erosion Coronary band Swelling Lesion 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week

18 Risk factors for lameness in the farrowing house o Slatted steel (i.e. Tribar floors) strongly associated with foot and limb lesions in piglets o Similar findings for claw lesions in sows Proportion (% ) of sow s affected Heel overgrowth Heel sole crack White line damage Horizontal Cracks in the wall Vertical Cracks in the wall Dew claw injuries Slatted steel Cast iron

19 Risk factors for lameness in finishers Void width >1.8 cm (max. allowed by S.I. 311) Hygiene Less lameness when pen was cleaned more than 4 times per year

20 Risk factors for lameness in gilts % Replacement gilts lame % 35% 38% 38% <25kg <45kg <70kg <90kg Weight gilts housed separately from finishers The earlier replacement gilts were managed differently to the finishers the less likely they were to be lame

21 Management of replacement gilts o Strategies practised on Irish farms House and feed gilts as finisher stock up to service House/feed as finishers up to 100kg; then gestating sow diet o Replacement gilt: Bone development & fat deposition NB Developer diets o Gradual weight gain: energy:lysine (OC) o Bone development: Ca:P (BMD) o Claw strength: Zn, Cu & Mn

22 Developer diets: Main findings o Feeding a developer diet to gilts from 65kg reduced Lameness Growth rate (if restricted fed) Joint lesions Slower rate of growth? Claw lesions Mineral supplementation? o Implications of developer diets for bone mineral density (osteoporosis), reproductive performance and longevity? o Mixing, space allowance, flooring?

23 Concrete slatted flooring in group housing Abrasive o Major risk factor for lameness (KilBride et al., 2009) o Labour/cost, availability, hygiene issues with straw Discomfort o Growing interest in rubber flooring for pigs Lameness o More yielding/compressible and lower thermal conductivity than concrete (Boe et al., 2007; Platz et al, 2008) o Greater area of contact between claw and floor (Flower et al., 2007) ĂŶĚƉƌŽƚĞĐƟǀ Ğї ĨĞǁ ĞƌĐůĂǁ ůğɛŝžŷɛ

24 Study of the effect of rubber slat mats on indicators of lameness in sows 1000 sow commercial herd 160 replacement gilts 2 parities Oct. 10 Mar. 12 Behavioural studies at MPK Rubber; n=80 gilts Concrete; n=80 gilts Calderon-Diaz et al., JAS 19: 1-15

25 Rubber flooring Main findings o Rubber flooring reduced lameness and limb lesions o Sows had a preference for lying on rubber: reflects their need for comfort while lying o Culling for lameness was reduced on rubber o Fewer sows on rubber crushed piglets o Great potential to improve sow productivity, welfare & longevity o Caution re. heat stress and lack of abrasion

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27 Key project findings Claw lesions and lameness highly prevalent in all stages of pig production Lameness in sows o Big problem in group housing because of aggression/slatted flooring o Rubber slat mats improve comfort & could help to control lameness o Claw lesions: Tribar slatted floors and dirty underfoot conditions Lameness in gilts o Housing and feeding gilts separately from finishers reduces lameness o Slowing their growth rate reduces joint lesions o Mineral supplementation improves claw health

28 Key project findings Lameness in finishers o Large voids and poor hygiene are risk factors for lameness o Increasing growth rates (especially in an environment of overstocking) will worsen the problem of lameness in growing pigs Lameness in piglets o High prevalence of skin and foot lesions = major welfare concern and entry route for infection o Metal/slatted steel type floors are a major risk factor

29 Main conclusions o The high prevalence of lameness poses a major threat to the sustainability and profitability of current pig production methods o Improving the husbandry and housing (comfort?) of pigs will help to address the problem o Production disease: reflects demands placed on pig for high productivity in a sub-optimal environment o Intensity of production?

30 Acknowledgements Dr. Peadar Lawlor Teagasc pig advisors Pig producers Tomas Ryan MPK farm staff Summer placement students