Do you rely on your M. hyo acclimation strategies?

A survey was performed that included 116 production systems representing 639.695 sows from different regions in Spain. The average production system size was 5.515 sows.

The objective was to identify which gilt acclimation methods for M. hyo are currently being used in Spanish farms nowadays. The survey covers different farm related factors, demographics and details structure of health protocols such as: Source Status, age of exposure, gilt flow, exposure procedure, timing, final status verification, vaccination, sow herd H. hyo stability.

The survey also included newer techniques such as the use of Lung Homogenate Acclimation.

The most important findings were:

• 42 % Receive Naïve gilts into positive farms.
• 60 % of farms have a replacement rate higher than 50 %.
• 75% of farms practice late age acclimation, beyond 15 weeks of age.
• 79 % of farms do not acclimate to the herd specific strain.
• 53 % of farms use vaccines against M. hyo during the acclimation.
• 77% of farms do not perform diagnostics to verify an adequate acclimation
• 63.4 % of farms use antibiotics during the acclimation process.

While a high percentage of the producers or veterinarians (88 %) are convinced that a proper gilt acclimation program plays a major role in the M. hyo stability of their farms. 54 % of the respondents did not rely on their methods. The majority of them do not have a clear definition of sow herd stability and the time needed for a proper acclimation and consequently start the process too late. Besides, 77 % do not verify the acclimation process of the gilts. Therefore, the survey reveals some opportunities to improve the acclimation process such as the followings:

• The implementation of an early and efficient exposure method is needed.

• A “Best practice” for M. hyo diagnostics has to be developed.

The study Up to date survey on Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae acclimation of gilts in the Spanish swine industry, by V. Rodriguez-Vega, S.Figueras-Gourgues , O. Iturbe , I. Hernández-Caravaca, A. Callen , E. Fano  was presented at the ESPHM 2018.

More info: ESPHM 2018