Clinical and Economic Impacts of a Commercial Vaccine Containing Recombinant Antigen against Atrophic Rhinitis in Field Conditions

Abstract

Atrophic rhinitis (AR) is an important disease continuously causing economic losses to pig industry. Due to the detrimental effects on growth performance, antibiotics have been widely used to treat the bacterial diseases in the field. As the concerns about bacterial resistance to antibiotics increase, there is a growing need for the evaluation of AR vaccine that can reflect actual cost and benefits. However, until now, only limited research data have been available. Therefore, in this study, the systemic analyses of clinical and economic benefits by AR vaccination under field conditions were conducted. The trials were performed using a bivalent commercial vaccine containing Bordetella bronchiseptica bacterin and recombinant Type D Pasteurella multocida toxin in three different commercial pig farms endemic for AR. Significant higher levels of colostral antibodies and those passive transfer were detected from vaccinated sows to their offspring compared to non-vaccinated groups. As predicted on serological data, notably better clinical protection from the deleterious effects of AR was identified in piglets born to the vaccinated sows based on body weight, rearing period, and gross nasal scores. Moreover, vaccination on sows delivered a return on investment at least ten times the cost of vaccination. Collectively, these favorable clinical and economic effects in the commercial farms sufficiently support the necessity and significance of AR vaccination on sows.