A PRRS outbreak on a pig farm results in a significantly higher use of antibiotics. The need to resort to this drug increases by 2.28 to 3.79 times, according to American research.
The viral disease PRRS can cause fertility problems in sows and respiratory diseases in piglets and fattening pigs. The disease is also known for its negative impact on the immune system. This makes pigs more susceptible to bacterial pathogens, requiring the use of antibiotics to tackle secondary infections.
For her PhD research at Iowa State University, Isadora Fernanda Machado has listed the results of the effect of a PRRS outbreak in more than 135,000 pigs. These were pigs on farms where they were completely free of PRRS, as well as on farms where the viral disease was present.
Most impact on piglets
A PRRS outbreak in piglets has the most negative impact, partly because the immune system of the young animals is not yet at full strength. An outbreak of the field virus on a PRRS-free farm then increases the need for antibiotic use by as much as 3.79 times. On farms where PRRS is present, it appears to be necessary to use 2.51 times more antibiotics to combat secondary infections.
In fattening pigs, the effects of a PRRS outbreak on antibiotic use are smaller, but still significant. In a PRRS-negative company, an outbreak leads to a 2.74 higher use of antibiotics. On a farm where PRRS was already present, an outbreak results in a 2.28 times greater need to use antibiotics.
2024-01-18 08:16:00
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