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Responsible use of antibiotics can save swine producers money and improve the control of common swine diseases such as ileitis (PPE), according to the global animal health company, ECO Animal Health.
The company believes that the development of anti-microbials, such as its second generation macrolide Aivlosin®, containing tylvalosin (TVN), can provide improved treatment options. As a modern antibiotic it meets the requirements of judicious use of antimicrobials.
Tylvalosin is more lipophilic than older generation macrolides such as tylosin. Studies have shown that tylvalosin concentrates within target tissue cells very rapidly, resulting in far higher intracellular concentrations of active drug just 4 hours after dosing. The concentration of active drug in small intestinal tissue is over three times higher than the blood concentration just 2 hours after administration.
According to Andrew Buglass, European Sales Director from ECO Animal Health, the product’s profile makes Aivlosin ideally suited to responsible use.
“The improved product profile means that a shorter, 10-day course of in-feed treatment with Aivlosin should treat sub-clinical ileitis as effectively as 21 days of in-feed treatment with tylosin. In fact, a randomised trial on a well-managed European swine farm showed that controlling ileitis in pigs with Aivlosin resulted in 2.1kg extra carcass weight compared to using tylosin. Importantly the total amount of antibiotic active ingredient was reduced by 58% per pig for the Aivlosin treated group compared to the tylosin treated animals” he said.
440 pigs with sub-clinical ileitis were enrolled in the study. Seroconversion diagnosed by ELISA, occurred in pigs on this farm between 10 and 14 weeks of age. Treatment was timed to coincide with the transfer of animals to the fattening house and early infection with Lawsonia intracellularis .
“As L. intracellularis bacteria accumulate in the intestinal cells, the ability of tylvalosin to penetrate and concentrate within these epithelial cells is an asset when treating ileitis. Targeting the correct time to apply a shorter-course treatment is a step in the right direction if we want to use antibiotics in a more judicious way.
“Since the EU ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, ileitis remains endemic on most swine farms albeit at sub-clinical levels and significantly impacts swine herd health and profitability. ECO Animal Health believes that Aivlosin offers a cost-effective in-feed medication alternative to longer courses of in-feed antibiotics and is aligned with the prudent use of antimicrobials.”
Aivlosin is available as a premix for administration in feed to provide a dose rate of 4.25mg TVN / kg bodyweight /day for 10 consecutive days, and as Soluble Granules for administration via drinking water at a dose rate of 5mg TVN /kg bodyweight/day for five consecutive days. Both products are used under veterinary prescription.
February 13, 2015 - Eco Animal Health
