Iletis Hits Downstream and Hits Late
Weaned pigs flowing into the M2P2 system in Iowa started showing signs of acute ileitis in the late finisher about two years ago.
“Although the disease didn’t hit pigs until about 200 lbs, it became very predictable,” says Doug Quam, a veterinarian for the Ames, Iowa-based production company.
Why ileitis was striking those sites vs. smaller, one or two-barn locations, Quam is uncertain. But that’s where they concentrated eff orts to eliminate the clinical ileitis.
“We did background checks using serology and determined when pigs were actually seroconverting or becoming positive for ileitis,” recalls the Hubbard, Iowa, practitioner. “We also documented when clinical breaks occurred and from that, placed Enterisol Ileitis vaccine early in the wean-to-finish barns.”
The production units selected for vaccination account for about 60,000 pig spaces, or 120,000 pigs per year. Vaccine goes into the drinking water about fi ve to six weeks into the wean-to finish barns or when pigs are eight to nine weeks of age.