Pig vaccinations

Anyone who has raised pigs knows very well that these animals are prone to many dangerous diseases. For a novice farmer, this feature of piglets can be an unpleasant surprise: a frivolous attitude to the vaccination schedule often becomes the cause of mass mortality. How and what vaccinations should be given to piglets from birth at home will be described in detail in this article. Here you can also find a vaccination calendar, recommendations for performing injections, and a list of microelements and vitamins necessary for pigs.

Benefits of timely vaccination

It's no secret that pigs raised on an industrial scale are required to be vaccinated. And the point here is not only in sanitary and epidemiological requirements for meat - vaccinations protect piglets from the most common and deadly diseases.

As in the case of people, the main purpose of mandatory vaccination of pigs is to prevent an epidemic (mass spread of infection). You need to vaccinate your livestock in order to protect yourself from a one-time loss of the entire herd.

They begin to protect the body of piglets from birth, when babies still have very weak immunity. A farmer can save a pig herd not only from deadly diseases, but with the help of vaccinations and injections he can actually prevent the development of vitamin deficiency, deficiency of important microelements, and strengthen the immune system of each piglet.

There is no need to be afraid of vaccinations: modern drugs for vaccinating domestic animals have virtually no side effects - after the injection, the piglets will feel the same as before.

What vaccinations are given to piglets from birth?

Immediately after birth, no injections should be given to piglets, because the body of newborns is still too weak. It is recommended to start the first vaccination no earlier than the third or fourth day after the pigs are born. Along with vaccinations, piglets should also receive vitamin injections, which many farmers mistakenly also attribute to vaccination.

A veterinarian must draw up an exact vaccination schedule for each specific livestock, because the number of vaccinations depends on many external factors, such as:

• the presence of epidemics in the region or region;
• geographical location of the farm;
• number of pigs in the herd;
• breed and type of animals;
• free grazing or keeping pigs indoors;
• food type;
• possible contact of piglets with other domestic animals.

In small households, vaccination of piglets from birth is carried out according to the following approximate schedule:

1. At the age of 4-5 days, piglets are given iron supplements to prevent anemia in animals.
2. At two months, pigs need to be vaccinated against erysipelas.
3. At the age of three months, piglets are vaccinated against classical plague.

Typically, such precautions are sufficient to protect domestic livestock from mortality and disease. If the owner has a small farm and raises pigs for the purpose of selling meat or breeding small piglets, the vaccination scheme is somewhat expanded. Large livestock must be vaccinated as follows:

1. Piglets 4-5 days old - iron supplements.
2. From two weeks to a month - combined vaccination against salmonellosis, pasteurellosis, enterococcosis.
3. At one and a half months - vaccination against CS (classical plague).
4. At 2 or 2.5 months, piglets need to be vaccinated against erysipelas.
5. At the age of 3 to 3.5 months, pigs are revaccinated against erysipelas.
6. In the interval from 3.5 to 4 months, vaccination against salmonellosis, pasteurellosis, and enterococcosis is repeated.
7. Up to six months, piglets are re-injected with the erysipelas vaccine.

Vaccines

The same vaccines are used for all breeds of pigs. To protect against each disease, there are several drugs, including both combined and single vaccinations.When choosing a particular vaccine, you should pay attention only to the age of the piglet and its approximate weight.

Vaccinations for piglets to protect against classical plague can be done with one of the following vaccines:

• “VGNKI virus vaccine”;
• "KS";
• “Virus vaccine LK-VNIIVViM”;
• "ABC".

Veterinarians recommend using the following drugs against erysipelas in piglets:

• liquid deposited “Vaccine against swine erysipelas”;
• “Vaccine against swine erysipelas from strain BP-2.”

In cases of difficult epidemiological situations, it is better to use combination drugs for vaccinating piglets and pigs that can protect the herd from several diseases at once. Typically, such drugs prevent three of the most dangerous diseases in pigs: pasteurellosis, enerococcosis, and salmonellosis. The most popular vaccines include the following:

1. "Verres-SPS" can be administered for the first time to 10-12 day old piglets. 8-10 days after this, revaccination is carried out.
2. The “Suigard” vaccine, according to the instructions for use, can be injected into piglets 20-30 days old, or into sows 15-40 days before the expected farrowing.
3. The drug "PPS" is available in bottles of 20 doses and is intended for 12-15-day-old piglets or sows before giving birth.
4. “Serdosan” is capable of developing immunity in pigs to five diseases at once. In addition to the three listed, these are colibacillosis and edema disease.
5. For piglets, you can use the PPD vaccine, which must be administered for the first time at 20-30 days of age.

Additional drugs

Not only are diseases and infections scary for little piglets, but a common deficiency of microelements or vitamins can cause serious health problems for them.

The most dangerous condition in newborn piglets is anemia. To prevent iron deficiency, pigs are given prophylaxis with special preparations already in the first days of life. On days 4-5 after birth, piglets need to be given an injection with one of the following medications:

• "Ursoferran";
• "Suiferrovit";
• "Ferranimal";
• "Sedimin";
• "Ferroglucin".

Any iron-containing drug should be administered in a dosage of 200 mg of active substance per piglet.

Occasionally, piglets over ten days of age may require rickets prophylaxis. In this case, you need to be vaccinated with any potassium and calcium preparations. Quartz lamps can be used as additional prevention.

Vaccination of piglets against worms is no less important than vaccinations against fatal diseases. Helminths themselves do not pose a serious danger to pigs. However, worms greatly weaken the immunity of animals and can clog various parts of the digestive tract. The first time the anthelmintic vaccine is administered to piglets after the tenth day of life. The best drugs are considered to be “Panacur” and “Dectomax”.

Rules for vaccination of piglets

The first thing a farmer should know at the initial stage of pig breeding is what breed his livestock belongs to.Every year more and more new species of these domestic animals appear; the goal of breeders is to develop breeds that are resistant to the most dangerous and common “pig” diseases. That is why many of the modern types of piglets have innate immunity to certain diseases and, accordingly, do not need vaccination against them.

The calendar that veterinarians follow when vaccinating pigs from large industrial farms is called “extended.” At home, piglets are not given all vaccinations - only those vaccines are selected that will protect the livestock from diseases common in a particular region and during a certain period of time. A new farmer who does not understand swine diseases may want to consult with a local veterinarian or talk to more experienced neighbors.

At the time of vaccination, the piglet must be absolutely healthy. Any vaccine is a slight stress for the body, so the animal’s immunity cannot be suppressed by poor nutrition, weakness or chronic disease.

So, before vaccinating piglets, you must do the following:

1. Learn about the characteristics of a specific breed of pigs and find out what diseases they have innate immunity to.
2. Consult your veterinarian and create your own vaccination schedule based on this.
3. Observe the piglets and sow to identify weak, hungry or sick individuals.
4. Purchase quality vaccines from a good veterinary pharmacy.

Vaccination table for piglets from birth

Vaccinations will be of no use if they are not repeated at regular intervals. In order not to miss or forget anything, the farmer needs to draw up a vaccination schedule for his piglets. Veterinarians recommend following the vaccination table from the first days of pigs’ lives. One example of such a table is given below.

It is necessary to understand that the above scheme is the simplest option that is suitable for vaccinating piglets in a small household. The larger the livestock, the greater the number of vaccinations required.

Against the plague

The most dangerous disease of pigs today is classical plague. The infection affects 95-100% of unvaccinated livestock and is fatal in 60-100%.Not only the high mortality rate among infected animals is scary, but also the sanitary standards in relation to classical plague: all pigs in the affected area, at best, are forcibly vaccinated, at worst, they are slaughtered and the corpses are burned. And this is a big problem for the farmer!

Only domestic pigs and wild boars suffer from the plague - you don’t have to worry about the rest of the livestock in the household. But the infection spreads very quickly, so it is better to be prepared and vaccinate all pigs and piglets in the herd.

Cattle should be vaccinated against plague intramuscularly strictly according to the following scheme:

• first vaccination - piglets aged 1.5-2 months;
• repeated vaccination (after which immunity will appear) - on the 120th day after the first;
• revaccination - every year.

The plague vaccine cannot be bought at a pharmacy; it is issued only by the sanitary and epidemiological service.

Against salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is transmitted by airborne droplets, so it is considered a rapidly spreading infection. The disease itself is not fatal, but it is severe, and consequences are often observed in pigs - animals are stunted in growth, lose appetite, and their immunity is reduced.

Vaccination against salmonellosis is carried out in two stages:

1. The vaccination is given to 20-day-old piglets.
2. After 7-10 days, revaccination is carried out.

Typically, farmers use complex vaccines to prevent salmonellosis, which also protect against pasteurellosis and enterococcosis. The best drug is Suigard, which can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.

Against faces

Erysipelas is a bacterial skin infection. This disease causes severe discomfort to pigs, and infected animals suffer greatly. The causative agent of erysipelas can live for a long time in the body of a healthy pig, and with a lack of nutrition or deterioration of living conditions, the infection suddenly breaks out, affecting the entire herd.

The disease is not always fatal, but treating piglets for erysipelas will require considerable financial costs. Therefore, vaccination is the best option; it is carried out both in industrial and small households.

The scheme for vaccinating piglets against erysipelas is as follows:

• first injection – at two months of age;
• repeat injection - on the 85-90th day after the first;
• revaccination – after 240 days.

You can choose any vaccine for pigs; VR-2 is praised among the domestic ones.

Against Aujeszky's disease

Aujeszky's virus infects not only pigs, but also other domestic animals (rodents, dogs, cats). Small piglets are the first to suffer from the infection; the disease spreads very quickly throughout the entire livestock of young animals. Mortality from Aujeszky in piglets under four weeks of age reaches 100%. Adult pigs usually recover, but the course of the disease is also severe.

Piglets are vaccinated against Aujeszky as follows:

• on the 16-30th day after birth, piglets are administered 1 ml of the drug subcutaneously;
• the second vaccination should be given intramuscularly - 2 ml on days 35-55;
• revaccination – also intramuscularly 2 ml on the 140th day.

The drug “VGNKI dry culture virus vaccine against Aujeszky’s disease” is effective.

Advantages and disadvantages of comprehensive vaccination

Combination vaccines consist of inactivated (not live) strains and viruses. They do not harm the body of small piglets and do not give adverse reactions. However, combined vaccinations have their own nuances:

• Animals develop immunity only two weeks after repeated vaccination (re-vaccination);
• It is necessary to repeat vaccination of pigs with combined preparations every five to six months.

That is, during an epidemic, it is not advisable to use combined vaccines - until the piglets have an immune response, most of the herd will get sick. In “quiet” times, it is possible and necessary to vaccinate pigs with such vaccinations.

Table of other vaccinations for piglets

When a farmer plans to raise pigs or raises them to sell for meat, the herd should have a more complete “vaccination record.” Additionally, it is recommended to vaccinate piglets according to the scheme below.

Preparing piglets for vaccination

Piglets to be vaccinated do not need any special preparation. But this is provided that the farmer follows the recommendations of veterinarians and adheres to the vaccination schedule. For example, pigs that have not previously been vaccinated against helminths must undergo anthelmintic treatment.To do this, you can choose any drug in tablets or drops.

The owner must inspect each individual from the herd in order to identify weak and suspicious piglets - these should not be vaccinated. It is good if serious vaccines (combined drugs, vaccinations against leptospirosis or pneumonia) are administered to domestic pigs by a doctor. But the farmer can make iron, minerals and vitamins, and anti-helminth injections on his own.

How to give an injection to a piglet

To correctly administer an injection with a vaccine, the piglet, first of all, needs to be well secured. To do this, you will need an assistant: one person should hold the pig, and the second should give the injection.

Even before catching the piglet, it is necessary to dissolve the vaccine according to the instructions, calculate the dose and take the medicine. Syringes and needles for them are also not taken at random: their sizes depend on the age of the pig and the type of vaccination. This is described in detail in the table below.

Vaccinations for pigs must be given correctly:

• sterility must be maintained;
• put gloves on your hands before vaccination;
• use a separate needle for each piglet;
• Pre-wipe the injection site with 70% alcohol.

Where to give a piglet an injection

The injection site and type of injection depend on the vaccine used and the age of the pig. Therefore, before vaccinating a piglet, be sure to read the instructions for the medicine. The options may be as follows:

1. Small suckling piglets are vaccinated in a triangle behind the ear, and the drug is administered subcutaneously. It is necessary to pull the skin with your fingers and insert the needle at an angle of 45 degrees into the resulting fold. This is the most painless method of injection.
2. Subcutaneous administration can also be performed on the inner thigh. They do everything the same as with the ear.
3. Older piglets are vaccinated in the thigh. The injection should be done intramuscularly, being careful not to touch large vessels. The needle should be inserted at a right angle.
4. Piglets after weaning from the sow and adults can be given intramuscular injections in the neck. In babies, a distance equal to the thickness of two fingers recedes from the auricle. To determine the injection site in an adult pig, apply the palm of your hand to the ear.

Monitoring piglets after vaccination

After vaccination, the piglet needs observation and good care. To ensure that the babies’ immunity does not weaken and that the body copes with the vaccine normally, the animals need to be provided with optimal conditions, such as:

• temperature in the barn is 20-25 degrees;
• average air humidity;
• cleanliness and regular cleaning;
• quality feed and constant access to water.

That is why it is better not to vaccinate piglets in severe frosts or extreme heat.

Conclusion

Vaccinations of piglets from birth at home can and should be done even in private farms with small livestock. In order not to harm animals, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of veterinarians and carefully read the instructions for the drugs. It is quite possible to inject pigs with vitamins, iron or calcium supplements, and give antihelminthic or combined vaccinations yourself, but for more serious immunization it is better to call a specialist.

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