Background and history

Torsion of the stomach or the small intestine is a main cause of sudden death in adult breeding stock. The twist can involve the stomach, the spleen, part of the liver or the intestine. This is the most common cause of sudden death in the growing pig and it is usually one of the best pigs in the group.

Clinical signs

There are usually none because the pig is found dead but the abdomen is grossly distended.

Piglets

• Uncommon but symptoms as in sow.

Sows

• Bloated abdomen.
• Blue skin.
• Sudden death: Often within 2 3 hours of feeding..
• Anaemia.

Weaners and growers

• Usually none but sudden death.
• Grossly distended abdomen.
• The carcass is fresh but the pig is very pale.

Diagnosis

The carcass is fresh the pig is very pale and the abdomen is very distended. Post-mortem examination shows the small and large intestines heavily congested and full of blood. The intestinal tract in the pig is suspended from a common point and this makes it liable to rotate and finally twist.

Causes

• Deaths are usually sporadic although they can be of significance where, for example, whey is being fed and bloat occurs.
• Over-feeding and abnormal fermentation of the contents of both the small and large intestine result in gas formation, increased pressure and torsion.
• Prolonged over excitement at feeding may predispose.
• Overeating liquid feed.
• Large amounts of feed eaten during lactation will predispose.

Prevention

• Deaths are usually sporadic although they can be of significance where, for example, whey is being fed and bloat occurs.
• Over-feeding and abnormal fermentation of the contents of both the small and large intestine result in gas formation, increased pressure and a twist.
• Mortality in weaned and growing pigs should normally be less than 3% and up to a third of this may be caused by torsion. If it reaches 1% or more the dietary components should be examined closely to see if there are starch based ingredients that might cause excessive fermentation. In such cases increasing the level of the growth promoter (if allowed) or adding 100g/tonne of penicillin, OTC or tylosin will reduce the bacterial multiplication.
• If torsion is a consistent cause of death collect information about each one including weight, age, sex, house, stocking density, environmental temperatures and feed changes. A study of this may give guidance as to contributing causes.