Creating a vaccination protocol

Jason Kelly, DVM

March 9, 2008

AASV Veterinary Student session

Topics of Discussion

Myths of “the new vet”

Know your enemy

Basic vaccine considerations

Look at big picture

Change doesn’t always happen quickly.

Myths about new vets

I don’t feel like I know enough. You will know plenty! Spend as much time with practitioners as possible. Travel

around the country. Attend AASV. Work on a project and present at AASV.

People don’t want the “new guy/girl.” BS! People don’t care how much you know until they

know how much you care. Most clients are excited to have the new grad to the farm.

Your first phone call…..

“I am having some trouble with herd health. My replacement gilts are thumping and dying, my sows are off feed, pre-wean mortality is 25%, nursery mortality is 15%, finishing mortality is 10%, and I load another 5% on the cull truck. I struggle to get my pigs marketed because I am always having to obey withdrawal times when I take them off medications.”

Your first phone call…..

How will you respond?

A. What a mess. Put them on tetracycline and call me if things aren’t better in a week.

B. What a mess. Have you considered folding up the tent and calling it quits?

C. What a mess. Let me think about it for a week or two and I’ll get back to you.

Your first phone call…..

How will you respond?

D. It sounds like a complex situation. When can I meet you at the farm so I can better understand your operation? You are lucky you called me because I KNOW I CAN HELP YOU!!

Your meeting at the farm

What is the goal of this farm/producer?

How are facilities laid out?

What is the primary problem?

What other factors contribute to the fundamental problem?

What is the current vaccination protocol?

What other medications are used on the farm?

Know your enemy…

What disease challenges are present within this farm or flow of pigs?Separate primary from secondary pathogensHow are new animals introduced to this farm?How is health downstream from the sow farm?Is prevalence high enough or is the economic impact large enough to vaccinate?Is a vaccine available? Is it efficacious?

Basic Vaccine Considerations

When does exposure occur? What is the best timing?How long is duration of immunity?Which product do I pick?One dose vs. Two dosesModified live vs. killedInjectable vs. Oral administrationIs product consistently available?Autogenous vaccine?

Look at big picture….

You cannot vaccinate or medicate your way out of a management problem.

1. Pigflow (Breed targets, FR, facility size)

2. All-in, all-out vs. Continuous flow

3. Ventilation

4. Biosecurity

5. Employee performance

Back to our new client….

Current protocolsGilt entry (Directly into farm)

PRRS/Mhyo naïve source FarrowSure (2 doses) Enterisol ileitis

Sows Scourmune prefarrow FarrowSure prefarrow

Pigs Traditional nursery and finisher flow (AIAO) MycoSilencer Once 2cc at movement to finisher (50 lbs) Suvaxyn E-Oral at movement to finisher (50 lbs)

Now what?

Diagnostics

Thumping gilts PRRS + Mhyo

Sows SIV from nasal swab PRRS positive PCR on piglets

Nursery PRRS, H. parasuis, Strep. suis

Finisher PCV2 Mycoplasma Lawsonia

Problem(s)

No isolation/acclimationNo Mycoplasma protection

Constant supply of PRRS viremiaNo SIV protection except natural

Constant supply of PRRS viremiaSecondary infections

Late Mycoplasma vaccine timingNo PCV2 protectionNo Lawsonia control program

Fix the problems

Problems

PRRS/Mycoplasma in replacement gilts

PRRS throughout farm B/G, farrowing, nursery

Solution(s)

1. Find isolation facility2. Vaccinate for Mhyo (2 doses)

1. Load up on gilts-close farm2. Processing procedures improved 3. Strict movement guidelines- farrowing

Processing procedures (EVERY litter)Change needles

Change scalpel blade Change latex/vinyl gloves

Clean tatoo digits in alcoholClean tail clippers in alcohol

Farrowing movement guidelinesNone/minimal cross-fostering

No movement in a cartNo holding back pigs at weaning

Fix the problems

Problems

SIV in sows

Nursery HPS & Strep secondary to PRRS

PCV2 in finishing

Mycoplasma in finishing

Solution(s)

1. Vaccinate for SIV2. Considerations: Timing, autogenous?

1. Stabilize PRRS upstream2. Assess ventilation3. Medicate as appropriate

Vaccinate for PCV2 in nursery•Circoflex at weaning

Move vaccination to early nursery•Mycosilencer Once (1cc) at weaning•Mycosilencer Once (1cc) 3 weeks later

What affect does PRRS have on vaccine response?

Change doesn’t happen quickly

Breed

Farrow Nursery Finisher

Market

4 months

3 weeks 7-8 weeks

20 weeks• Be patient!!

• Assess results…

1) Objectively

2) Appropriate sample size

The last problem

Problems

Ileitis in finisher

Solution(s)1. Oral vaccine?2. Feed medication control?3. Both?

Can I double dip here?Lawsonia vaccinated pigs will not market for 20 weeks.

I know I have Mycplasma in the finisher.Pigs vaccinated earlier with Mycoplasma vaccine will not market for 26 weeks

Which antibiotics could control Mycoplasma and ileitis?CTC

LincomycinTiamulin

Follow-up

Continue disease monitoring.

Assess current program and identify areas of improvement

Challenge costs- If vaccine is no longer necessary, take it out.

Conclusions

A vaccine protocol is only a piece of herd health management

Know your enemy…what are you dealing with (exactly)?

Basic vaccine considerations…there are many.

Look at big picture…what is going on around you?

Change doesn’t happen quickly in all cases.

Thank you for your attention!

Questions?

Jason Kelly515-341-4165

jason_kelly@suidaehp.com