Swine Production & Herd Health
Overview
A production-focused framework for managing commercial and independent swine populations with emphasis on biosecurity, herd-level immunity, and production economics. Also covers individual pig clinical care for companion/pet pig cases.
When to Use
- Herd-level health outbreaks (diarrhea, respiratory distress, sudden mortality)
- Implementing biosecurity for Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD)
- Analyzing production records and benchmarking performance
- Individual pig clinical cases (potbellied pigs, companion swine)
- Keywords: swine, pig, porcine, herd health, biosecurity, ASF, PRRS, PCV2, PED, production, farrowing, weaning, boar, sow, gilt
Workflow
- Confirm context. Mandatory: Commercial production (farrow-to-finish, nursery, finisher) or companion/pet pig? Herd size? Indoor vs. outdoor? Geographic region (FAD risk assessment)?
- Biosecurity audit. Assess Lines of Separation (LOS) and entry protocols. Monitor for African Swine Fever (ASF), a high-stakes, notifiable, non-zoonotic viral threat. Any suspicion of ASF or Classical Swine Fever (CSF) requires immediate notification to the State Veterinarian / USDA APHIS.
- Herd immunity evaluation. Review vaccination schedules for PCV2, PRRS, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Erysipelas, and Parvovirus. Assess timing relative to production stage.
- Production metrics analysis. Benchmark against industry standards. Key metrics: pigs weaned per sow per year (target >25-30), pre-weaning mortality (<10%), average daily gain, feed conversion ratio.
- Clinical assessment (individual or group). Species-specific physical exam with attention to respiratory signs, skin lesions, lameness, and neurological signs. Necropsy patterns for herd-level diagnosis.
- Reportable disease check. Any unusual mortality pattern, vesicular lesions, or hemorrhagic syndrome must be evaluated for FAD before other differentials.
Clinical Reference Values (Adult)
| Parameter |
Range |
| Temperature |
101-103.5°F (38.3-39.7°C) |
| Heart rate |
70-120 bpm |
| Respiratory rate |
32-58 bpm |
| Blood glucose |
66-116 mg/dL |
Critical Alerts
- African Swine Fever (ASF): No vaccine, no treatment, nearly 100% mortality in naive herds. Any sudden increase in high-fever mortality must be reported to the State Veterinarian immediately.
- Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED): Devastating to neonatal piglets (<7 days). Nearly 100% mortality in naive litters.
- PRRS: Reproductive failure in sows + respiratory disease in growing pigs. Modified-live vaccines available but strain-dependent efficacy.
Husbandry Principles
- All-In/All-Out (AIAO): Strict management to break disease cycles between groups.
- Pig flow: Understand the production pipeline (breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, grow-finish) as disease timing relates directly to production stage.
- Companion pigs: Potbellied and miniature pigs have different metabolic profiles, obesity predisposition, and behavioral needs compared to production breeds.
Key Species Differences
Production swine vs. companion/pet pigs differ substantially in body condition expectations, normal behavior, nutritional requirements, and clinical approach. Miniature breeds (Vietnamese Potbellied, Juliana, Kunekune) are prone to obesity, arthritis, and tusk-related injuries. Do not apply production herd protocols to individual companion animals without modification.
Limitations
- Focuses primarily on herd-level outcomes for production settings; individual pet pig medicine requires clinical judgment beyond production templates.
- Drug withdrawal times are critical for food-producing animals; always verify with FARAD before prescribing.
- ASF status and regulatory requirements vary by country; always check current OIE/WOAH status for the relevant region.
- Swine-specific pharmacokinetic data is limited for many drugs; consult Plumb's or FARAD for current withdrawal information.
1---2name: swine-medicine3description: Production-level swine medicine focusing on herd health, biosecurity protocols (ASF/PRRS/PED), production metrics, and individual pig clinical care.4---5
6# Swine Production & Herd Health
7
8## Overview
9
10A production-focused framework for managing commercial and independent swine populations with emphasis on biosecurity, herd-level immunity, and production economics. Also covers individual pig clinical care for companion/pet pig cases.
11
12## When to Use
13
14- Herd-level health outbreaks (diarrhea, respiratory distress, sudden mortality)
15- Implementing biosecurity for Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD)
16- Analyzing production records and benchmarking performance
17- Individual pig clinical cases (potbellied pigs, companion swine)
18- Keywords: swine, pig, porcine, herd health, biosecurity, ASF, PRRS, PCV2, PED, production, farrowing, weaning, boar, sow, gilt
19
20## Workflow
21
221. **Confirm context.** Mandatory: Commercial production (farrow-to-finish, nursery, finisher) or companion/pet pig? Herd size? Indoor vs. outdoor? Geographic region (FAD risk assessment)?
232. **Biosecurity audit.** Assess Lines of Separation (LOS) and entry protocols. Monitor for African Swine Fever (ASF), a high-stakes, notifiable, non-zoonotic viral threat. Any suspicion of ASF or Classical Swine Fever (CSF) requires immediate notification to the State Veterinarian / USDA APHIS.
243. **Herd immunity evaluation.** Review vaccination schedules for PCV2, PRRS, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Erysipelas, and Parvovirus. Assess timing relative to production stage.
254. **Production metrics analysis.** Benchmark against industry standards. Key metrics: pigs weaned per sow per year (target >25-30), pre-weaning mortality (<10%), average daily gain, feed conversion ratio.
265. **Clinical assessment** (individual or group). Species-specific physical exam with attention to respiratory signs, skin lesions, lameness, and neurological signs. Necropsy patterns for herd-level diagnosis.
276. **Reportable disease check.** Any unusual mortality pattern, vesicular lesions, or hemorrhagic syndrome must be evaluated for FAD before other differentials.
28
29## Clinical Reference Values (Adult)
30
31| Parameter | Range |
32| --- | --- |
33| Temperature | 101-103.5°F (38.3-39.7°C) |
34| Heart rate | 70-120 bpm |
35| Respiratory rate | 32-58 bpm |
36| Blood glucose | 66-116 mg/dL |
37
38## Critical Alerts
39
40- **African Swine Fever (ASF):** No vaccine, no treatment, nearly 100% mortality in naive herds. Any sudden increase in high-fever mortality must be reported to the State Veterinarian immediately.
41- **Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED):** Devastating to neonatal piglets (<7 days). Nearly 100% mortality in naive litters.
42- **PRRS:** Reproductive failure in sows + respiratory disease in growing pigs. Modified-live vaccines available but strain-dependent efficacy.
43
44## Husbandry Principles
45
46- **All-In/All-Out (AIAO):** Strict management to break disease cycles between groups.
47- **Pig flow:** Understand the production pipeline (breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery, grow-finish) as disease timing relates directly to production stage.
48- **Companion pigs:** Potbellied and miniature pigs have different metabolic profiles, obesity predisposition, and behavioral needs compared to production breeds.
49
50## Key Species Differences
51
52Production swine vs. companion/pet pigs differ substantially in body condition expectations, normal behavior, nutritional requirements, and clinical approach. Miniature breeds (Vietnamese Potbellied, Juliana, Kunekune) are prone to obesity, arthritis, and tusk-related injuries. Do not apply production herd protocols to individual companion animals without modification.
53
54## Limitations
55
56- Focuses primarily on herd-level outcomes for production settings; individual pet pig medicine requires clinical judgment beyond production templates.
57- Drug withdrawal times are critical for food-producing animals; always verify with FARAD before prescribing.
58- ASF status and regulatory requirements vary by country; always check current OIE/WOAH status for the relevant region.
59- Swine-specific pharmacokinetic data is limited for many drugs; consult Plumb's or FARAD for current withdrawal information.
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