Worm burden can result in a loss of up to 10% in daily gain and 13% in feed conversion in growing/finishing pigs, increasing cost of production by 11 p/kg DW through increased food usage and reduced sale weight.

The financial impact of a deterioration of both feed conversion ratio (FCR) and daily liveweight gain (DLWG) by 5% on slaughter pig production to 73 kg deadweight is a rise in the cost of production (CoP) by up to 4.6 p/kg deadweight.

Targets:

• To achieve a worm-free herd
• To improve the growth and efficiency of the growing herd
• To improve animal health and welfare in both short and long term

Management Guidelines

• Assess the worm burden on the farm in consultation with your vet. The BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS) provides data on milk spot livers.
• Develop a suitable control programme appropriate for the level of infection and production system. The aim should be to limit the production of eggs by maturing worms. Use a suitable wormer to achieve desired outcome.
• Adhere strictly to the programme to achieve worm control.
• When worm burden is under control then stick to a simple preventive programme to limit the risk of future burdens.
• In outdoor production, when moving site, always plan the move with a worming programme to minimise the introduction of eggs to the new environment.

Biosecurity

• Isolate incoming stock and treat against worms before introduction into herd.
• Prevent the spread of eggs into and around the unit by ensuring boots, tools and other such vectors are clean.

General Hygiene

• Adopt an all-in all-out policy where possible.
• Pressure wash using detergent and disinfect at every opportunity.Where it is known a high burden has been present the use of a horticultural flame gun to heat pen floors is very effective at destroying eggs - taking the appropriate Health and Safety precautions into account.
• Avoid using stone or soil floors often found in straw yards.

Record and Monitor

• Record all completed actions with dates, as required in your de-worming and worm prevention programme. Continuously re-assess the worm burden and review with your vet.
• Monitor progress by reviewing changes in DLWG and FCR that may be linked with your milk spot data from the BPHS.

Practical Guidelines

It is almost impossible to achieve a totally worm (worm egg) free environment but relatively easy to produce a worm-free pig by using appropriate commercially available worming products. Ascaris suum eggs are very robust and can persist for 7 years in the environment.

Therefore with heavy burdens where all-in all-out policy is not possible the emphasis should be on preventing the female worms laying eggs (250,000/day) thus reducing the number of eggs in the environment over time.

Benefits of De-worming

• Improves average daily weight gain
• Improves food conversion ratio
• Reduces the number of liver condemnations
• Reduces susceptibility to respiratory disease (ie pneumonia)
• Improves overall health and welfare of pigs
• Minimises the contamination of the pig environment with worm eggs

Preventive programme where worms are under control

Sows and Boars

• Treat the entire herd simultaneously a minimum of twice per year and preferably three times.
• Ensure all lactating sows are treated at the same time as dry sows.

Incoming Gilts and Boars

• Treat on arrival and while in isolation unit.
• Re-treat on introduction to the main herd.
• Treat when the next routine herd treatment takes place.

September 2015