Farmscape for August 27, 2013
The manager of the Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network reports levels of strep suis infection within Canadian swine herds changed little from the first to the second quarter of 2013.
Strep suis, which originates from a common streptococcus bacteria, can affect baby piglets to about eight to ten weeks old and although Infections later are more rare and it can sometimes cause an overwhelming infection that can kill the pig.
In the Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network's review for the first quarter of 2013 strep suis and other strep infections were identified as one of the main reasons veterinarians were called to farms.
Dr. Chris Byra, the manager of the Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network's management team reports very little changed during the second quarter.
Clip-Dr. Chris Byra-Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network:
We saw similar results as we have in the past.
It's a common problem on farms, common or even very common and a couple of veterinarians indicated in their opinions that they had seen a slight increase.
It's pretty much what we expect in the summer time.
It's really not a surprise.
It continues to be a disease that we have to work with and does affect pig production.
It causes some mortality in pigs in the nursery.
It can cause meningitis and other conditions such as arthritis and so it slows down the growth of pigs as well so, as a result, the disease is an economic one.
Although it can be found on most farms, in only a few is it really a large economic problem.
Dr. Byra says the data network records ever time a veterinarian sees or suspects strep suis and CSHIN will continue to monitor but, if the infection continues at the levels we're seeing today, probably not very much will change.
He notes there is some research into ways to better manage this disease but at this point it's not the main concern of Canadian veterinarians or pig producers.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council