1 Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development
Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural
Development (CARD) Program
Diagnosis and control of diarrhoea in suckling pigs APPENDIX 4:

Farm Reports for northern herds September 2006
Dr Tony Fahy
Ms Karen Moore


Vaccines 7
Comments 7
Farrowing house audit 19/7/05 7
Ambient Conditions ~ 11.30am 7
Sow 8
Piglet 8
Farrowing Shed – old 8
Farrowing Shed - new 8
General 8
Diagnostic Report 8
Comments 8
Anh Thiet (Hung Yen Province) - Farm 3 (100 sows) farrowing house audit 20/7/05 9
Ambient Conditions 9
Sow 9
Piglet 9
Farrowing Shed 9
Diagnostic Report 9
Comments 9
Anh Hiep (Hung Yen Province) - Farm 4 (120 sows) 10
General Comments on farm visit 4
th
October 2006 10
Farrowing House 10
Dry sow shed 10
Weaner/grower shed 10
Growers 10
General comment 10
Farrowing house audit 20/7/05 (Cargill Feed Demo farm) 11
Ambient Conditions ~ 9am 11
Sow 11

Ambient Conditions 15
Sow 15
Piglet 15
Farrowing Shed 15
Diagnostic Report 15
Comments 15
Minh Duong (Ha Tay Province) - Farm 7 (100 sows) 16
General Comments on farm visit 4
th
October 2006 16
Farrowing House 16
Dry sow shed 16
Weaner/grower shed 16
General comment 16
Farm audit 21/7/05 16
Ambient Conditions 16
Sow 17
Piglet 17
Farrowing Shed 17
Comments 17
Chi Huong (Ha Tay Province) - Farm 8 (currently 120 sows moving towards 200 sows) 18
General Comments on farm visit 4
th
October 2006 18
Farrowing House 18
Dry sow shed 18
Weaner/grower shed 18
Grower/Finisher shed 18
Finisher sheds 19
Post visit meeting 19

Comments 23
Farrowing house audit 24/7/05 23
Ambient Conditions 23
Sow 23
Piglet 23
Farrowing Shed 23
Comments 23
Appendix 1 - Sow feeding 24
Appendix 2 - Condition Scoring of Sows 25
Appendix 3 - Water Requirements for Pigs 26
Appendix 4 – Temperature Requirements 27
Appendix 5 - Mange eradication 28
Appendix 6 - Reproductive efficiency 28 5
Dong My (Thai Binh Province) - Farm 1 (140 sows) TEST FARM

General Comments on farm visit 3
rd
October 2006

These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below.

Farrowing

• Temperature - 29 °C
• Heat Index - 32°C
• Relative Humidity - 64%
• Wet bulb - 23.7°C

• FMD - No progeny are vaccinated.

Comments
Farrowing house audit 19/7/05

6
Ambient Conditions ~ 9am
• Temperature - 33.3°C
• Heat Index - 42.3°C
• Wet Bulb - 27.1°C
• Relative Humidity - 62.4%
• Wind Speed - 0.7 m/sec

Sow
• Farrow 20 per month
• Vaccinate with Litterguard
• Preweaning mortality 10-12%
• Water rate approximately 1 L/min
• Feeders empty (feed 5kg/day and 6kg for skinny sows)
• Respiration rate of 140 for one sow

Piglet
• Weaning age 21 days
• Use 175 watt lamps

These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below. Farrowing shed

Ambient Conditions

• Temperature - 29.9 °C
• Heat Index - 35°C
• Relative Humidity - 69%
• Wet bulb - 25°C

There were twelve sows with litters in crates. One pen of weaners.
There were some heated creep areas. The windows of one side of the building were closed thus
preventing any ventilation. The ceiling was low, being approximately 7 feet.

There were 81 dry sows. The blinds were down thus there was little air flow. Most of these
sows were condition score 2. They claim to feed the sows 2 kg per sow twice per day – ie 4 kg
per sow per day.

Weaners/Growers/Finishers

There was a lot of coughing in the growers.
One feeder per 20 to 40 pigs.
Blinds were completely closed on one side, thus no ventilation. There were 290
growers/finishers and 180 weaners.
Three or four pens of weaners looked wet and cold. This was the only part of the shed where the
blinds were open.

Vaccines


Farrowing Shed – old
Pre drip cool Post drip cool
• Temperature - 35.9°C - 35.1°C
• Heat Index - 49.5°C - 45.8°C
• Wet Bulb - 29.1°C - 27.9°C
• Relative Humidity - 60.2% - 58.0%
• Wind Speed - - 0.4 – 1.1 m/sec
• Roof cooling
• Only 3 of 8 fans working
• 30 crates (16 old and 14 new) available with 8 old crates occupied
• Farrowing dates for 1 sow were 9/5/04, 26/9/04, 18/2/05 and 7/7/05

Farrowing Shed - new
• Temperature - 34.4°C
• Heat Index - 44.9°C
• Wet Bulb - 27.9°C
• Relative Humidity - 60.1%

General
• Buildings run east/west
• Weaners no feed

Diagnostic Report

Comments
• Side wall blocked by shade cloth
• Diarrhoea in grower pigs possibly due to Hog Cholera or salmonella.
• Open flush drains filled with water (emptied twice daily) were a potential source for
spread of enteric diseases.

Diagnostic Report
•

Comments
• Sell approximately 200 pigs/month at 20 weeks of age and at about 80kg
• This number of pigs sold cannot be achieved with 100 sows with a maximum of 152
being possible
• Shade cloth blocking ventilation
• Poor water flow rate to drinkers for growers
10
Anh Hiep (Hung Yen Province) - Farm 4 (120 sows) near new bridge (TEST FARM)

General Comments on farm visit 4
th
October 2006

These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below.

Farrowing House

• Temperature - 31°C
• Heat Index - 37.6°C
• Wet Bulb - 26.3°C
• Relative Humidity - 68%

The side walls blinds were open. The end wall has had all the rubbished removed and is open.
The far end of the shed is blocked. There were two standing 18” fans operating. The crates had

This also applies to any pigs weaned in the farrowing house.
Any pigs weaned into crates in the farrowing house should be given heater lamps and fed
Apramycin either in feed or water.

Range of antibiotics found on this farm.

Injectables

11
• Gentamycin
• Enrofloxacin
• Tiamulin
• Kanamycin
• Streptomycin
• Penicillin G
• Ivermectin 0.25%

Oral
• Amoxicillin 100g/kg + Colistin 250MU/kg. Use rate is 50grams in 100ml water or 0.1% in
feed

Farrowing house audit 20/7/05 (Cargill Feed Demo farm)Ambient Conditions ~ 9am
• Temperature - 31.2°C
• Heat Index - 38.8°C
• Wet Bulb - 26.9°C
• Relative Humidity - 69.1%
• Wind Speed - 0.7 m/sec

Trang Due (Hai Phong Province) - Farm 5 (206 sows moving to 250 sows) this is a govt run
farm CONTROL FARM

General Comments on farm visit 1
st
October 2006

These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below.

Ambient Conditions

• Temperature - 27.3 °C
• Heat Index - 29.7°C
• Relative Humidity - 67%
• Wet bulb - 23°C Farrowing

There were 39 occupied crates giving them an average weekly farrowing of 10 sows. This is
what would be expected for a herd of 200 sows.
The farrowing house still has the problem of the shade cloth (as opposed to blue plastic blinds)
dropping down over the side openings blocking airflow and cross ventilation. Comments

• Mange still remains uncontrolled. One sow had particularly bad keratosis of the ears and
there was a high percentage of growers showing Sarcoptic hypersensitivity.
• Sucker pigs had a high level of scour with most litters having diarrhoea somewhere between

• Water flow rate was good
• Feed 4.6kg/sow/day
• Respiration rate of 140 for one sow

Piglet
• Weaning age 21 days

Farrowing Shed – old
• Shed north-south orientation
• Temperature - 34.5°C
• Heat Index - 43.5°C
• Wet Bulb - 27.1°C
• Relative Humidity - 57.0%
• Wind Speed - 0.4 m/sec
• 28 crates available with 14 crates occupied
• Ridge vent covered
• Two fans
• Blinds partly down
• Water pressure was good
• Sow respiration rates 100 (sow 37°C) and 180 (sow 38°C), floor (31°C), slats (35.6°C)

Farrowing Shed - new
• 24 crates available with 9 crates occupied
• Temperature - 34.4°C
• Heat Index - 43.2°C
• Wet Bulb - 27.0°C
• Relative Humidity - 56.1%
• Wind Speed - 0.0 m/sec
• Sow respiration rates 100-120 (sow 38°C), floor (30°C), slats (32°C)



Of the 50 farrowing crates available there were 31 crates full, which included 5 that were due to
farrow.
Drippers were in use.
Ventilation was good but the side openings were 25% obstructed by the blue blinds which were
not fully opened up.
The creep areas were covered and had matting on the floor.
No E.coli vaccine used but gives Baycox at days four.
There was no scouring seen in the suckers, which looked good.

Weaners/Growers/Finishers

This farm had a 30% post weaning mortality, which has now gone.
Ambient temp 31 °C
Heat index - 35 °C
Humidity - 60%

The air quality in the weaner room was compromised because one side of the shed was
completely blocked by a blue blind preventing cross ventilation.

Similar poor ventilation applied to both growers and finishers. The temperature in this area was
31°C with a heat index of 35°C. Whilst the weaners can cope with a heat index of 35°C this
would have a negative impact on growers and finishers feed intake. The optimum temperature
for this age group of pigs is 18-20°C.
The biggest problem regarding the blinds is the detrimental effect on the air quality.

Comments

• Currently giving one shot Mycoplasma vaccine at 28 days. They would be better off using a
two shot vaccine at 4 and 21 days of age.

Farrowing Shed
• Temperature - 32.1°C
• Heat Index - 38.7°C
• Relative Humidity - 64.3%
• Wind Speed - 0.4 m/sec
• Drip cooling system good
• 50 crates available with 27 crates occupied

Diagnostic Report Comments
• Lime floor, sheds very clean
• Blue shade cloth blocking ventilation
16
Minh Duong (Ha Tay Province) - Farm 7 (100 sows)-CONTROL FARM

General Comments on farm visit 4
th
October 2006

These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below.

Farrowing House

• Temperature - 32°C
• Heat Index - 37.5°C

cholera present in the weaner pigs.

General comment
This is a well-designed farm and the owners are keen to make improvements.
Use Dectomax 1% in 50 ml bottles @190,000VND

Farm audit 21/7/05Ambient Conditions
• Temperature - 31.8°C
• Heat Index - 38.0°C
• Wet Bulb - 25.8°C

17
• Relative Humidity - 71.5%

Sow
• Sows with mange
• 10 day scour in 6 litters
• Respiration rate of 100 for one sow
• Vaccinate sows for parvo, erysipelas, CSF, E. coli and Mycoplasma

Piglet
• Weaning age 28 days
• Vaccinate piglets at 7 and 21 days for Mycoplasma

Farrowing Shed
• Shed east-west orientation
• Temperature - 32.4°C

• Wet Bulb - 25.4°C
• Relative Humidity -61%

There were 23 occupied farrowing crates. Seven of these were yet to farrow and six pens
contained weaned pigs.
The near end has a seven-foot ceiling and the far end has an eight-foot ceiling. This is the end
with the extractor fans. The environment was noticeably better in the far end.
Unfortunately they have built a greenhouse/hothouse next to the shed which has compromised
ventilation. They have another hothouse under construction, which will compromise ventilation
in adjoining sheds.
The weaned pigs in the farrowing house need heater lamps.
They had 4 litters scouring at 10-11 days of age. They will use Baycox for six months to see if
this solves the problem.

Dry sow shed

• Temperature - 29.2°C
• Heat Index - 31.8°C
• Wet Bulb - 23.5°C
• Relative Humidity -63%

Good ventilation with all walls open.
There were 93 sows and gilts. They were mostly condition score 3. Mange was presents. Weaner/grower shed
Good ventilation.
Scours and coughing present in weaners.
A number of grower pigs had grade 3 hypersensitivity caused by sarcoptic mange. There was a
serious scour in this room as well.


Farm audit 21/7/05Ambient Conditions
• Temperature - 29.6°C
• Heat Index - 36.0°C
• Wet Bulb - 25.8°C
• Relative Humidity - 74.5%

Sow
• Vaccinate for E. coli (at 12 and 14 weeks), parvo, Aujeszkys, CSF (at 10weeks) and
FMD
• Water pressure was good but big variation between pens
• Feed 4-5kg/sow/day
• Sow respiration rates 50, 60 and 60
• Mange

Piglet
• Weaning age 21 days
• 20% of litters scour post 7 days, varies with season
• Vaccinated with CSF (at birth and 21-24 days), Mycoplasma at 7 and 21 days and
salmonella at 30 days

Farrowing Shed – old
• North-north west orientation
• Temperature - 30.4°C
• Heat Index - 38.0°C
• Wet Bulb - 26.3°C
• Relative Humidity - 74.0%

General Comments on farm visit 29
th
September 2006
These are to be read in the context of the full July report for 2005, which is below.

Ambient Conditions
• Temperature - 25°C
• Heat Index - 26.5°C
• Relative Humidity - 81%

Farrowing

Of the 47 farrowing crates available 35 were full with 16/35 still to farrow. Farm claims 8
farrowings per week but they must be out of synchronisation if they have 16 to farrow. Twelve
of the farrowing crates had weaned pigs in them.
Farrow room 1 had one full side partially blocked by a new grower area on its northern side.
This grower area had a tin roof, which would be less than ideal for the growers and was blocking
the air flow to the farrowing room.

Comments
• They claim that foot & mouth disease is causing a major problem with the sale of stock.
They are unable to sell breeding stock, which is causing overcrowding. They are forced
to sell pigs as porkers. Where they were getting $2.40/kg for the sale of breeders they
only get $1.50 for the sale of pork.
• Mange continues to be a problem and no effort has been made to implement an
eradication program. The timing of their treatment is incorrect. Ivermectin should be
given one week before farrowing.
• Overall their preweaning mortality (around 10%) and reproductive performance are quite
good but any further improvements they make will be icing on the cake.
• They still have restricted feeding of each class of stock.

• Baycox given at 3-4 days of age
Weaners
• Temperature - 31.0°C
• Heat Index - 34.8°C
• Wet Bulb - 24.0°C
• Relative Humidity - 55.8%
• Wind Speed - 0.0-0.5 m/sec
• Poor water supply
• Numerous abscesses/site reactions
Farrowing Shed 1
• Sheds north/east – south/west orientation
• Temperature - 28.9°C
• Heat Index - 31.3°C
• Wet Bulb - 22.7°C
• Relative Humidity - 58.4%
• Wind Speed - 1.0-1.5 m/sec
• Open sides with no blinds
• Roof cooling but not working
• Total of 32 sows in crates (shed 1 and 2)
Farrowing Shed 2
• Temperature - 31.7°C
• Heat Index - 36.3°C
• Wet Bulb - 24.0°C
• Relative Humidity - 56.6%
• Wind Speed - 0.3 m/sec
• Roof cooling not working
• 32 crates available with 17 occupied
• Some tiled roof areas replaced with roofing iron
Comments
• Need to have a ridge vent


Ambient Conditions
• Temperature - 31.2°C
• Heat Index - 35.4°C
• Wet Bulb - 24.0°C
• Relative Humidity - 53.4%
• Wind Speed - 4.0-4.5 m/sec

Sow
• Feed 6-7kg/sow/day (over two-three feeds)
• Respiration rates of 50, 70 and120 were recorded
• Vaccinate sows for CSF (17 post farrowing), Salmonella (20 days before farrowing),
FMD/Parvo/Aujeszkys (twice a year)

Piglet
• Weaning age 21 days
• Vaccinate piglets for CSF (17 days) Pasteurella (25 days) and Salmonella (20 days)

Farrowing Shed
• Temperature - 31.7°C
• Heat Index - 36.1°C
• Wet Bulb - 24.1°C
• Relative Humidity - 54.2%
• Wind Speed - 0.0-0.5 m/sec
• 9 crates available with 8 occupied
• fans turned off

Comments
• Water to dry sow drinkers was turned off because of a leaking pipe
• Fans not being used

• Drinker allocation per pen group and drinker design and flow rates should be such that water
requirements of different classes of pig are easily met.
• Pigs should have constant access to water or other suitable wholesome liquid. The daily
consumption of water (or other wholesome liquid) by a pig will vary according to
environmental temperature, diet ingredients and live-weight. The table in Appendix 3 shows
the typical daily water requirements for various classes of pig.

Feed requirements for lactating sows
Day of lactation Daily feed requirement (kg)
1 2.5
2 3
3 3.5
4 4
5 4.5
6 5
7 5.5
8 6
9 7
10 8
11-15 9
16-20 10
21-28 10.5

25
* These are based on the Stotfield feed scales and are the minimum recommended intakes to maximise subsequent
farrowing rate and litter size. Parameters that will impact on feed intake are excessive ambient temperature,
inadequate water supply and poor ventilation. Any sow with a respiration rate above 30/min is considered to be heat
stressed. The lowest rate noted on our visit was in excess of 60 with some sows registering over 120 breaths/minute

Appendix 2 - Condition Scoring of Sows 2
Pelvic bones
obvious but
some slight
cover. Cavity
around tail head.
Loin narrow.
Only very slight
cover to edge of
transverse spinal
process. Flank
rather hollow.
Prominent Rib cage less
apparent.
Difficult to see
individual ribs.
3
Pelvic bones
covered.
Edge of

Felt only with
firm pressure
Rib cage not
visible. Very
difficult to feel
any ribs.

5
Pelvic bones
impossible to
feel. Root of tail
set deep in
surrounding fat.
Impossible to
feel bones.
Flank full and
rounded. Impossible to
feel vertebrae.
Not possible to
feel ribs.