At $2.73 to $19.76/per affected pig, the cost of raising pigs with Ileitis is
alarming1. Signs of clinical Ileitis include gaunt appearance, lightweight pigs
at market, loose stools and poor growth are all well known signs of Ileitis2.
While the signs are common in Canada, recent Canadian research shows
ileitis you can not see in the barn can reduce performance significantly.
Research at Shur-Gain Agresearch in Burford3 confirms, the significant
impact on average daily gain of low ileitis (Lawsonia intracellularis)
challenges (chart 1) and Feed to Gain (chart 2).
Pigs in the dark green shaded areas are challenged with ileitis, but do appear
different in the barn. The signs of ileitis are mild enough that it is unlikely producers and veterinarians would be able to detect the infections without laboratory analysis. However, these pigs show significant reductions in performance from non challenged pigs. This means that ileitis you can’t
see in the barn may have a significant impact on the bottom line of pork producers. |
