Did you know that there was a return on investment of 4,2 € per pig after implementation of a stabilization protocol in a farrow-to-finish farm using PRRS vaccine for pigs Unistrain^® PRRS?

Introduction

In the last two decades, in France, PRRSV stabilization protocols have been implemented using mass vaccination in pigs with modified live vaccines, herd closure and biosecurity measures.

The aim of the study was to evaluate performances and economic improvements after implementation of such protocol in a farrow-to-finish farm using PRRS vaccine for pigs Unistrain^® PRRS.

Materials and Methods

The stabilization protocol was conducted in a 195 sow-farrow-to-finish farm located in a high-density pig area, implementing a 5-week batch farrowing system.

For many years, this herd has suffered from abortions, high return-to-estrus rate and high usage of antibiotics in all stages.In end 2019, an active circulation of PRRSV-1 was diagnosed in this farm.

The stabilization protocol and its monitoring was implemented as described by Pauline Berton¹ and according to the recommendations of AASV².

Production performances, together with antibiotic consumption were compared before and after implementation of the protocol using Student’s t-test with R Studio.

Results

Results of the monitoring showed the absence of transmission of PRRS virus PRRSV-1 from sows to their piglets and the absence of circulation within the sow herd and in growers in four batches.

Table 1. Evolution of reproductive, productive and economic parameters before and after stabilization.

We observed a significant increase in fertility rate, respectively 90.16 % (Q1 85-Q3 94.65) and 95.14 % (93.58-97.33), before and after the stabilization protocol (p=0.02).

Weaning-to-estrus intervals (WtO) were more gathered (4.88-6.37 days before and 5.03-5.16 days after the stabilization).

Thus, both improvements in reproductive parameters reduced the sows’unproductive time. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased from 2.74 to 2.63 and veterinary costs were reduced from 9.15€ to 6.40€ per pig produced, linked to a huge reduction of antibiotics usage.

Finally, we estimate the return on investment at 4,2 € per pig.

Discussion and Conclusion

This stabilization protocol using PRRS vaccine for pigs was successful and economical results were clearly improved

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References

1. Pauline Berton, Valérie Normand, Guy-Pierre Martineau, Franck Bouchet, Arnaud Lebret, et al.. Evaluation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome stabilization protocols in 23 French Farrow-to-finish farms located in a high-density swine area.. Porcine health management, BioMed Central, 2017, 3, pp.11.

2. Holtkamp DJ, Polson DD, Torremorell M, et al. Terminology for classifying swine herds by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus status. J Swine Health Prod. 2011;19(1):44–56.