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Nutrition and Management of Early-Weaned Pigs: Diets for Protecting Rotavirus-Exposed Pigs Weaned at 1 to 5 Days of Age^1,2,

North Carolina State University³, Raleigh 27650

Abstract

The feasibility of early weaning systems depends in part on the control of rotaviral infection in newly weaned pigs. Diets containing antibodies to rotavirus were tested to determine whether deaths (rotaviral infections) could be controlled in pigs that were farrowed "conventionally" at a commercial farm and reared artificially at our research facility. Three sources of antibody were tested: (1) fresh milk from a cow immunized against swine rotavirus, (2) fresh pooled cows' milk and (3) pooled cows' colostrum. Pigs were from two farms where the level of rotavirus in the farrowing environment was thought to be typical of that in North Carolina and beyond. In trial 1, on farm I, pigs that had nursed for about 1 day were brought in groups to the isolated, fumigated research facility. This trial was designated "all in, all out." Under these conditions, the presence of antibody in the diet, prepared either from milk from the immunized cow or from pooled cows' milk, was effective in reducing mortality: (mortality rate among pigs fed these diets was 4.5% by 2 weeks of age vs 27% for the controls; P<.05). In trial 2, on farm I, the level of rotavirus was built up by the continuous introduction of newly weaned 1-day-old pigs into our rearing environment. This trial was called "continuous." Under these conditions, the diets used in trial 1 were ineffective in controlling mortality (65% or more deaths; P<.05). In trial 3, on farm II, pigs whose survival was thought to be unlikely were weaned at 1 to 5 days of age and brought in groups to the fumigated rearing facility. This trial was called "all in, all out; disadvantaged." Under these conditions, the diets containing the low level of antibody, either from the immunized cow's milk or from pooled cows' milk, were partially effective (mortality rates of 23%, P<.05, and 34%, P<.1, respectively, vs 53% for the controls). The most effective diet contained cows' colostrum diluted at 1:10 (3% deaths, P<.05), but a diet containing the cows' colostrum diluted at 1:20 was ineffective (55% deaths).

¹ Paper No. 6705 of the Journal Ser. of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service.

² We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of swine producers Steven L. Reedy and David Herring, Jr., who supplied pigs, and Dr. A. C. Linnerud, for statistical analysis. This work was supported in part by USDA SEA, Grant No. 59-2371-0-071-0.

³ Dept. of Anim. Sci.