Tiamulin feed premix in the improvement of growth performance of pigs in herds severely affected with enzootic pneumonia
Burch, D.G.
Veterinary Record 114(9): 209-211
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 6375105 Document Number: 230547
Four field trials were carried out to evaluate the effect of feeding tiamulin hydrogen fumarate at 20 and 30 mg/kg of feed to fattening pigs over an 8-week period, on farms with histories of severe, complicated, enzootic pneumonia problems. These farms had a prevalence of pigs with pneumonic lesions from 81 to 94% and a range between individual batches of 69 to 96%. The results of the first three trials showed that tiamulin at 30 mg/kg of feed significantly improved the weight gains and feed conversion efficiency of pigs, in comparison with controls and was superior to the groups fed 20 mg/kg tiamulin. A further trial with tiamulin at 30 mg/kg and controls only, confirmed the original findings. The overall average results showed that tiamulin improved average daily gain by 33 g (4.7%) and feed conversion efficiency by 0.138 (4.7%). This effect did not appear to result from a reduction in the total extent of pneumonic lesions and the possible reasons for this are discussed, but in the fourth trial the number of pigs requiring parenteral treatment was noticeably reduced.