Basic vaccination and health protocols for pigs

Pigs are usually produced in intensive environments such as purpose-built piggeries, sties, or even enclosed sheds.

- Shane Brody

The more congested environments where pigs are raised are predisposed to the proliferation of diseases such as diarrhoea and respiratory conditions such as pneumonia. This is a particular risk if the farmer isn’t proactive in respect of maintaining good housing hygiene and enforcing biosecurity protocols.

Management regimens such as cleaning sites, disinfecting living areas and interior wall surfaces and the regular removal of faeces are vital if a producer wishes to prevent the creation of an environment where dangerous organisms can flourish.

Deworming programmes, good nutrition and clean water provision, proper bedding (such as course sawdust), shelter and good ventilation all form an integral component of functional pig breeding.

It is also prudent to install human foot baths that contain disinfectants at the entrance to the pigs’ housing complex, and farmers can even consider spraying the undercarriage and tyres of vehicles entering the biosecurity zone to reduce the risk of devastating diseases such as African swine fever.

Producers should intramuscularly inject piglets with an iron supplement such as Dexiron 200 in the thick part of the muscle behind the ear on the third day of life as piglets are prone to anaemia.