Worms can still be a cause of financial loss in pigs. The main species of concern are ascarids (roundworms) which, in the course of the migration through the body, damage lungs and cause coughing.
In addition, they impede growth and worsen feed conversion rates and cause deductions through condemned livers at slaughter, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company ACMC Ltd.
He advises regular monitoring through a combination of slaughter checks on livers at the abattoir and dung screening of the herd to check on the efficiency of the worm control programme.
www.acmc.co.uk