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 pathogens How 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 doses Modified live vs. killed Injectable vs. Oral administration Is 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 protocols Gilt 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/acclimation No Mycoplasma protection Constant supply of PRRS viremia No SIV protection except natural Constant supply of PRRS viremia Secondary infections Late Mycoplasma vaccine timing No PCV2 protection No Lawsonia control program

Fix the problems Problems PRRS/Mycoplasma in replacement gilts PRRS throughout farm B/G, farrowing, nursery Solution(s) 1.Find isolation facility 2.Vaccinate for Mhyo (2 doses) 1.Load up on gilts-close farm 2.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 alcohol Clean tail clippers in alcohol Farrowing movement guidelines None/minimal cross-fostering No movement in a cart No 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 SIV 2.Considerations: Timing, autogenous? 1.Stabilize PRRS upstream 2.Assess ventilation 3.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 FarrowNurseryFinisher Market 4 months 3 weeks7-8 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 Lincomycin Tiamulin

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 Kelly