Reduction of antibiotic use after implementation of Ingelvac® PRRS MLV piglet vaccination in a Belgian wean to finish farm

Abstract

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) infections play an important role in Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing a PRRS MLV vaccine, as an aid to control PRDC, on the antibiotic use in piglets and fatteners. The study was performed in a wean-to-finish farm. Piglets were vaccinated upon arrival. In 2012, piglets were only vaccinated against Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) with Ingelvac MycoFLEX®. As from 2013, Ingelvac® PRRS MLV was applied at the same time as the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyo) vaccine, at the other side of the neck. The reason for implementing the PRRS MLV vaccine were PRDC problems occurring at the end of 2012, including cough and poor performance in the nursery and fattening period. Presence of the PRRS virus was confirmed by serology. A retrospective analysis of the antibiotic use and costs was performed over a 1-year-period before implementation of PRRS vaccination, an intermediate period of 6 months (PRRS vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs were present) and a period of 1 year in which only PRRS vaccinated pigs were present on the farm. In the period before PRRS vaccination, 18.56 g active substance/pig place/year was used, equal to an average of 29.3 daily doses/animal year. In the transition period, the antibiotic consumption equalled 20.82 g active substance/pig place/year or 33.6 daily doses/animal year. In the period after the PRRS vaccine implementation, 12.04 g active substance/pig place/year or 13.5 daily doses/animal year was used. The antibiotic costs equalled respectively 3.40€, 4.35€, 1.85€ per pig place per year in the 3 subsequent periods. Antibiotic use expressed in daily doses/animal year was reduced by 53.9% and antibiotic costs by 45.6% after implementation of PRRS vaccination compared to the period before PRRS vaccination. Furthermore, the use of antibiotics considered as highly important for human medicine (red class) was reduced with 97.4%. Besides the reduction in antibiotic use, an improvement of the technical performance of the pigs was also observed.

Reducing the Risk of Transmission of Critical Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants From Contaminated Pork Products to Humans in South-East Asia

“…For example, vaccination against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV-2), which is an immune-suppressive viral infection leading to secondary bacterial infections, resulted in a significant diminution of antibiotic use in swine farms (Raith et al, 2016). Similarly, vaccination against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus on pig farms reduced antibiotic consumption (Van Looveren et al, 2015). Amongst important bacterial pathogens of swine, vaccination against Lawsonia intracellularis, which causes severe ileitis, has been reported to reduce oxytetracycline medication in pigs (Bak and Rathkjen, 2009), whilst immunization against the respiratory pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae also reduced administration of antibiotics (Kruse et al, 2015).…”

The Use of Colistin in Food-Producing Animals in Estonia—Vaccination as an Effective Alternative to Consumption of Critically Important Antimicrobials in Pigs

“…Several studies have demonstrated the potential of vaccines to achieve a significant reduction of antimicrobial consumption in swine herds [ 26 , 27 ]. Vaccination of pigs against different pathogens as Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia [ 28 ], Lawsonia intracellularis [ 29 ], porcine circovirus type 2 [ 30 , 31 ], porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus [ 32 ] can lead to the remarkable decrease of AMU. The effect of vaccination in swine herds on the use of polymyxins has been studied in combination with other alternatives [ 33 ].…”