Prevalence and risk factrs fr limb and claw lesins and lameness in yung sws A. J. Quinn 1, 2, L. E. Green 2, A. L. Kilbride 2, L. A. Byle 1 1 Pig Develpment Department, Animal & Grassland Research & Innvatin Centre, Teagasc, Mrepark, Fermy, C. Crk, Ireland; 2 Schl f Life Sciences, University f Warwick, Cventry, England
Lameness and culling f yung sws Irish sw culling rate increasing (0.7-1.0% p.a.), 50% (PigSys, 2014) Lcmtry disrders are an imprtant cause f culling c. 10% f sws culled fr issues relating t lameness (Dewey et al., 1993; Byle et al., 1998; Engblm et al., 2007) Sws culled fr infertility etc. may als be lame! Culling fr lameness and traumatic injuries is high in the early parities (Byle et al., 1998; Engblm et al. 2007) Significant ecnmic and welfare implicatins
Lesins and lameness in sws Relatinship between limb & claw lesins & lameness (Smith, 1988; Bnde et al., 2004; KilBride et al., 2009; Calderón Díaz et al., 2013) Risk factrs fr lesins and lameness: flring, grup size, stcking density, genetics, parity, grwth rate etc. Lameness higher in grup than individual husing systems (Caldern Diaz., 2013) Slatted flring is a majr risk factr (KilBride et al., 2009) Lameness prevalence in grup husing systems : 5 t 17% in England, 6 t 10% in Belgium and 8.8% in Finland (Heinnen et al., 2006; KilBride et al., 2009; Pluym et al., 2011; Pluym et al., 2013; Willgert et al., 2014)
Objective T determine the prevalence f and risk factrs fr limb and claw lesins and lameness in replacement and pregnant gilts n Irish farms
Crss-sectinal survey 68 pig farms surveyed in 2012 (24% f Irish farms) Integrated farms with +100 sws nly Part f a larger study (+10,000 pigs inspected at all stages) Animal based measurements (lesins, lameness, BCS etc.) Resurce based measurements (flr, feeder, pen, SD etc.) +200 questins n management (genetics, nutritin etc.) 1 pen f replacement gilts and 1 pen r 10 stalls f pregnant gilts randmly selected All inspected if 10 gilts/pen and 10 gilts inspected if >10/pen
Measurements Lcmtry ability scred as per Main et al., 2000: 0 = Nrmal 1 = Pig appears stiff Nn-lame 2 = Shrtened stride 3 = N weight bearing n affected limb 4 = Affected limb elevated ff flr Lame (as per Kilbride et al., 2009) 5 = Pig des nt mve Limb lesins (0-3) Claw lesins (0/1)
Data Analysis All data entered int Micrsft access database Prevalence calculated fr each lesin N. f pigs with lesin scre 1 N. f pigs examined Prevalence calculated fr lameness N. f pigs with lameness scre 2 N. f pigs inspected Data were analysed using regressin analysis in MLwiN 2.27
Results Gilt status Replacement Pregnant N. farms 64 68 N. animals inspected 525 518 N. in grups 525 337 N. in stalls 0 181 % n fully slatted flrs 47.8% 54.8% % n partially slatted 45.3% 44.4% % n slid flrs 6.9% 0.8%
% affected Prevalence f lameness 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 38.9 41.1 0 1 2 >2 2 10 0 Replacement gilts Pregnant gilts
% affected Prevalence f limb lesins in gilts 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Replacement gilts Pregnant gilts Scratches Wunds Swellings Abscesses Calluses Bursitis
% affected Prevalence f claw lesins in gilts 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 Overgrwn te Overgrwn dew claw Brken te Brken dew claw Amputated dew claw 0 Replacement gilts Pregnant gilts
% Replacement gilts lame Risk factrs fr lameness, limb and claw lesins in gilts Higher risk f lameness in grup (48.1%) cmpared t individual (30.4%) husing systems (OR 3.66, CI 1.23 3.66) Higher risk f swellings t the limbs in replacement gilts separated frm finisher stck at weights f >90kg cmpared with thse separated at <50 kg (OR 3.1, CI 1.6-7.7) 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 13% 35% 38% 38% <25kg <45kg <70kg <90kg Weight at which gilts hused separately frm finishers
Discussin N risk factrs assciated with flring identified - unifrmity f flring acrss all farms High usage f slatted flring linked t high prevalence f limb lesins and lameness sw welfare cncern Exacerbated by grup husing Higher prevalence cmpared t ther cuntries? inclusin f scre 2 as lame Husing/feeding replacement gilts same as terminal stck is a risk factr fr limb lesins and ptentially lameness
Cnclusins High levels f limb lesins and lameness in yung sws is related t the widespread use f slatted flring and pses a cncern fr sw welfare and sw lngevity Preferential treatment f replacement gilts culd help address this prblem
Any Questins?