Transition to Antibiotic Free: Tips and TricksJanuary 2018

Greg Wideman, DVM

Key to successful “antibiotic free” production:

“…RWA, ABF, NAE…etc”

Some of the small stuff…

• Data and information management• Disease elimination and control• Weaning age• Colostrum• Farrowing room hygiene• Piglet handling• Iron/anemia • Barn setup and management• Water quality and treatment• Communication

Data management

Continuous measurement and review of key biologic and economic performance indicators

• Simple• No duplicate data entry• Web-based• Close-out oriented• Inventory tracking for ‘program’ and ‘treated’ pigs• Benchmarking

Sow productivity update

Sow productivity update

Sow productivity update

Data management – PigKnows open group mortality report

Group Id Begin date Pigs started Pig Inv Days open Avg weight W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9 W10 W11 W12 W13 W14 W15 W16 W17 W18 W19 W20 W21 W22 Deaths % Mortality176HK12 09/05/2017 398 251 121 22.34 2 1 2 3 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 2 1 27 6.8176KO12 09/09/2017 1288 605 117 24.43 1 1 2 2 2 5 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 33 2.6176WE13 09/18/2017 1300 849 108 25.16 1 3 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 21 1.6176FE13 10/02/2017 1366 1271 94 25.38 1 2 1 2 4 3 1 6 1 7 7 35 2.6176FE23 10/07/2017 1366 1254 89 23.38 1 2 3 6 3 3 3 3 6 6 11 2 49 3.6176DW13 10/14/2017 2586 2563 82 24.29 1 4 1 3 3 2 1 6 2 23 0.9176TT13 10/28/2017 1250 1232 68 25.07 1 3 1 4 1 2 1 2 3 18 1.4176FE33 11/06/2017 1469 1244 59 27.12 1 2 1 4 3 8 8 9 36 2.5176BE11 11/13/2017 1050 1043 52 26.65 1 4 1 1 7 0.7176FE43 11/13/2017 1277 1251 52 25.03 2 2 4 7 5 5 1 26 2.0176RU13 11/20/2017 1022 1013 45 24.83 1 2 1 5 9 0.9176PA13 11/27/2017 1150 1137 38 24.45 4 4 2 2 1 13 1.1176KU13 12/04/2017 1100 1088 31 26.66 2 3 5 2 12 1.1176HA12 12/11/2017 1505 1472 24 25.40 1 2 3 6 0.4176BB13 12/18/2017 1900 1897 17 26.61 1 2 3 0.2176DW33 12/21/2017 725 725 14 24.99

Data Management ‐ Sample PigKnows nursery batch ends

Data management – client-generated inventory monitor

Data management – Vaccine reconciliation

Disease Control and Elimination

OPIC AMU Project (2014)Goals: Quantify the amount and class of antimicrobials used to raise pigs from breeding to slaughter on a subset of Ontario farms.Understand the key drivers impacting on-farm antimicrobial choice and usage.Assess an AMU benchmarking strategy – consider pros and cons for future efforts

This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.

OPIC AMU Project (2014)

Demographics• 36 volunteer farms (mean 440 sows)• 105 sites• 34,647 sows• 867,329 piglets• 839,913 weanlings• 688,831 market hogs

• 13 volunteer feed suppliers• 4 volunteer veterinary practices

Targets for Disease Elimination

Economic analysis of health costs associated with PRRS+ vs PRRS- production systems

from Holtkamp, 2013

Mycoplasma hyopneumonia (MHP) drives antibiotic use

Success rate of MHP elimination projects

from Yeske 2016, AASV

Disease Elimination - MHPyear dressed weight ADG FCR Mortality %2012 98.34 0.9 2.80 2.02013 99.05 0.917 2.76 2.42014 101.91 0.928 2.75 2.9

Mh+ average 99.77 0.915 2.77 2.42015 103.34 0.939 2.74 2.12016 103.41 0.955 2.60 2.4

Mh‐ average 103.375 0.947 2.67 2.3

• 80 000+ pigs per year• Mh- allowed removal of two 1-wk pulses of in-feed ctc 22mg/kg BW,• overall G/F antibiotic use reduction 75%

Disease Prevention/Biosecurity

• Safe and secure gilt supply• Incoming gilt isolation• Transport plan especially cull sows and pigs• Minimum Danish entrance standard• Culture of audit, review and discussion

Farrowing Room Fine-tuning

• Colostrum measurement and management (immunocrits, split suckling, inducing)

Lets                      Colostrum• Produced prior to farrowing• 1 – 4.5 kg colostrum per sow• Only expressed during first 24 hours after farrowing

– 80% reduction of antibodies by 24 hrs• Pre‐weaning mortality

– Scours, swollen joints, greasy pig• Lifetime performance

– Health and disease resistance– Growth– Age at puberty of gilts!– Gilts future # born alive, litter growth rate!

Can we improve colostrum quality?• Warm dry piglets!• Parity structure• Vaccines• Nutritional supplements• Careful induction of farrowing• Can be measured!

– Brix refractometer– Ig immunocrit– ELISA/RID

• Meloxicam pre‐farrow• Colostrum replacement (bovine)

Farrowing Room Fine-tuning

• Colostrum measurement and management (immunocrits, split suckling, inducing)

• Piglet chilling measurement and management (FLIR, drying, 24hr farrowing care)

Chilling

Farrowing Room Fine-tuning

• Colostrum measurement and management (immunocrits, split suckling, inducing)

• Piglet chilling measurement and management (FLIR, drying, 24hr farrowing care)

• Iron status measurement and management (HemoCue Hb201+, iron reconciliation)

Data Management again!

Anemia Monitoring

• Hemoglobin assay, on farm test• Verification of iron program

Weaning Age

• Impact of young pigs• Impact of variation• Implications on colonization/infection with bacterial pathogens

Sunwold Ontario Wean Age/Weight Challenge at sow unit

Mean SD#closeouts 21 21Weight in 12.03 0.53Weight out 49.43 2.73Mortality 3.30 1.24ADG 0.802 0.06FC 1.552 0.09

2.03.04.05.06.07.08.0

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Wei

ght (

kg)

Week

Largie and Peterborough Weight at weaning

Largie wean weight (kg) Ptbo wean weight (kg)

Average wean weight at Largie: 6.3kgAverage wean weight at Ptbo: 5.8kg

020406080

100120140160

6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819202122232425262728

Mor

talit

y co

unt

Week

Combined mortality count by weekAverage mortality count: 65.6 pigs/week

Mortality counts from Largie and Ptbo

presented together

050

100150200250300350400450500550

6 7 8 9 10111213141516171819202122232425262728

Pul

l cou

nt

Week

Combined pull count by weekAverage pull count: 161.7 pigs/week

Pull counts from Largie and Ptbo

presented together

Sow Herd Weaning Age/Weight Interventions• Correct split-suckling• Eliminate ‘late’ fosters• Off-label use of Regumate to prevent early farrowings• Coccidioisis control• Review farrowing crate down days• Review farrowing room treatment SOPs and efficacy• Shipping room feed/water/temperature• Replace water pump, focus on lactation feed intake

Results of sow herd interventions

Sunwold Ontario Wean Age/Weight Challenge at sow unit

Current closeouts

Mean SD Mean SD#closeouts 21 21 7 7Weight in 12.03 0.53 13.54 0.62Weight out 49.43 2.73 52.97 4.20Mortality 3.30 1.24 2.49 0.84ADG 0.802 0.06 0.872 0.10FC 1.552 0.09 1.658 0.11

Why treat a Livestock Water System?

1. Make un‐potable water into potable water1. Microbiological2. Mineral

2. Treat/remove biofilm3. Direct effect on pig1. pH of gut2. Direct nutrient value of water additive3. other?

Water Quality

• Water availability• Water palatability• Pig pathogens in water (e.g. coliforms)• Biofilm in water lines

Poultry Health Services, Airdrie, AB

MALDI‐TOF

Culture

Water Line Results (cultures), Pre‐treatment

Water Line Results (MALDI‐TOF), Pre‐treatment

Chlorine dioxide

• Effective in presence of organic matter

• Higher amount of chlorine/more oxidation potential

• Effective at range of pH

Water Line Results, Post‐Treatment

ClO2 batches versus non

Significance TBD…..

Communication

• Frequent• Informed• Inclusive• Collaborative• Accountability• Continuous improvement