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To estimate the prevalence of periweaning failure to thrive syndrome (PFTS) in Canadian and American nursery-pig flows, to estimate the percentage of PFTS-affected pigs within an affected nursery flow, and to rank the common clinical signs observed by practitioners associated with PFTS on commercial farms.
A questionnaire was designed, beta tested, and then made available through the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) and University of Guelph Web sites. Swine practitioners in major swine-producing regions of Canada and the United States completed the questionnaire to estimate the prevalence and impact of PFTS in nursery flows. To raise awareness and to aid in consistent recognition and reporting of the syndrome, a video was produced and accompanied the questionnaire. Oral, scientific-poster, and video presentations were also made at major swine-practitioner meetings across Canada and the United States to promote awareness of the syndrome and questionnaire.
Fifty-five questionnaires were completed, with respondents servicing 1974 nursery flows in six Canadian provinces and 11 American states. The reported mean flow prevalence of PFTS was 4.3% (95% CI, 0.9%-8.0%). The within-flow prevalence was reported to be variable (1% to 20%). Approximately half of the respondents that reported on PFTS-affected flows stated that the proportion of PFTS-affected pigs within an affected flow was between 1% and 3%. Forty-four percent of respondents that reported on PFTS-affected flows reported higher mortality of 4% to 10% within affected flows. The four most commonly reported clinical signs, on an affected-flow basis, were anorexia, loss of body condition, prolonged standing, and the oral behaviour of repetitive chomping and licking.
In response to questions regarding respondents’ awareness of PFTS prior to viewing the video or attending an awareness campaign presentation (taking into consideration all the swine veterinary-practice-type categories, not just respondents who reported seeing PFTS-affected flows), 3.6% indicated they were completely unfamiliar with the syndrome, 18.0% were aware of the syndrome but could not previously describe clinical signs, 20.0% were aware of the syndrome but had not seen the syndrome or clinical signs, 32.7 % were aware of the syndrome and may have seen an unconfirmed case, and 25.5% were aware of the syndrome and had worked on a case of PFTS.
This report provides the first estimate of the mean flow prevalence and impact of PFTS in Canada and the United States. It is reasonable to expect this estimated prevalence to change as we continue to understand the syndrome. Video documentation, including demonstration of the clinical signs associated with PFTS, was an effective method to raise awareness of the syndrome.
O’Sullivan TL, Harding JCS, Friendship R, et al. Estimated prevalence and impact of periweaning failure to thrive syndrome in Canada and the United States. J Swine Health Prod. 2014;22(1):24–28.
