Veterinary session

The treatment of bacterial diseases in livestock farming is becoming more limited due to increasing antibiotic resistance and stricter veterinary regulations. The aim of our research was to survey the incidence of bacterial diseases in different age groups in the Hungarian large-scale swine farms and the practice of antibiotic therapy used for their treatment.

Between November 2020 and March 2021, we surveyed 16 large-scale swine farms in Hungary (including 14 breeding, 14 farrowing, 16 weaner and 12 finisher herds) through personal interviews with veterinarians and farm managers.

Our results showed that 73% of the surveyed age groups had some form of respiratory, digestive, articular or neurological disease of bacterial origin. Across all the age groups, articular and neurological diseases were the most prevalent (76% of the age groups), but respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders caused more severe symptoms. Urinary and genital diseases were the most common in sows, accounting for 39% of all diseases in them.

In 7% of the surveyed age groups, it was possible to isolate the sick animals in separate air spaces. In the case of bacterial infection in the herd, group antibiotic therapy was decided immediately in 15% of the studied age groups, whereas in 25% of the age groups only above a certain incidence level. Samples are taken to determine antibiotic resistance in 49% of the age groups surveyed.

Antibiotics are not locked away in 38% of the studied age groups, and expired preparations are also used in 16%. Shift managers administer antibiotics the most (31%), followed by veterinarians (27%). The syringes are changed only after severe contamination in 71% of the groups, and in 21% a syringe is used for more than one preparation. For oral group treatments, medicated water is preferred by 61%. Solubility rules are taken into account in 50%, the change in water demand due to ambient temperature in 25% of the studied groups. Water mixing technology is found in 61% of all age groups.

Our results show that in the surveyed farms, it would be important to isolate animals with clinical symptoms, to measure antibiotic consumption more accurately, and to introduce treatments based on more frequent antibiotic susceptibility testing, thus effectively reducing antibiotic use while maintaining animal health status.