Mycoplasmal pneumonia in pigs in Croatia: first evaluation of a vaccine in fattening pigs
Bilić, V.; Lipej, Z.; Valpotić, I.; Habrun, B.; Humski, A.; Njari, B.
Acta Veterinaria Hungarica 44(3): 287-293
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0236-6290 PMID: 9055454 Document Number: 464910
At the beginning of fattening, 350 pigs (weighing on average 26.5 kg) were immunized i.m. with 2 ml of a M. hyopneumoniae vaccine (Respisure) at 12 to 14 weeks of age. The vaccinated fattening pigs were mingled with 350 unvaccinated pigs of similar size and age. The incidence of mycoplasmal pneumonia of pigs in the experimental and control groups was monitored between October 1993 and April 1994. In the unvaccinated group, 55 animals (15.7%) were affected by pneumonia and 11 (3.1%) died due to the disease. In the vaccinated group, 20 pigs (5.7%) had pneumonia but no deaths were caused by the infections. In the unvaccinated group, 44% more pigs were individually treated with antibiotic, and these animals received in-feed therapy for more than a quarter of the fattening period. Vaccinated pigs gained weight faster, at the rate of 0.745 kg/day, 82 g/day quicker than control animals. At slaughter (day 105 of fattening) lungs from 40 vaccinated and 100 unvaccinated pigs were examined and given scores for the severity of lesions caused by M. hyopneumoniae. Scores were significantly higher in the control pigs than in the vaccinated animals. Tissue alteration in lungs due to M. hyopneumoniae, Pasteurella multocida and/or Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae were also scored and appeared significantly greater in the control group than in the vaccinated group.