Water Distribution Systems in Pig Farm Buildings: Critical Elements of Design and Management

Little, Stephen B.; Woodward, Andrew; Browning, Glenn F.; Billman‐Jacobe, Helen

doi:10.3390/ani11113268

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The distance to the start of the water distribution system was relatively long in Drinker A, where the overall lowest bacteria counts were seen. This disagrees with the previous consideration that a lower water velocity might increase the biofilm formation [84,85], because less biofilm is flushed out. This stands out especially when compared to Drinker B, which showed high bacteria counts and harboured specific pathogens, but, similarly to Drinker A, involved the longest distance to the start of the water distribution system.…”

Section: Distribution Of Bacterial Content In the Drinkerscontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Decreases in water pressure and water velocity could occur with longer distances from the main piping system. Both the dead ends and the distances could facilitate biofilm formation in the areas examined in this study [84,85]. Additionally, seasonal changes could affect biofilm formation [86], but in this study, air temperature data was not continuously collected.…”

Section: Distribution Of Bacterial Content In the Drinkersmentioning

confidence: 92%

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Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens—A Source of Zoonotic Pathogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety

Buder,

Meemken,

Fürstenberg

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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The water distribution system in the lairage pens of abattoirs could act as a route of contamination for produced meat. In this study, biofilm formation and the occurrence of specific pathogens in drinking equipment was investigated in different lairage pens in a German commercial pig abattoir. Samples of the water and the drinkers in different locations were microbiologically cultivated and examined. After new drinking equipment had been installed for one month, three months and five years, biofilm formation was detectable, and retrograde growth from the nipple drinkers was seen up to the connection with the main water distribution system. In particular, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. were found in all samplings of the nipple drinkers. Zoonotic pathogens, Salmonella, pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, were also isolated from the nipple drinkers, while Listeria monocytogenes was not detected via microbial cultivation methods in any of the samples. Since the pigs take the contaminated nipple drinkers into their mouths to drink, or drink contaminated water containing the pathogens, transmission and even infection of the pigs in the lairage can be assumed. This could consequently lead to contamination or cross-contamination of the meat during slaughter and processing and to a public health risk.

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Section: Distribution Of Bacterial Content In the Drinkerscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Distribution Of Bacterial Content In the Drinkersmentioning

confidence: 92%

Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens—A Source of Zoonotic Pathogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety

Buder,

Meemken,

Fürstenberg

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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“…Besides environment, drinking water and water pipes could be another reservoir of ETEC (90). Due to the fact that looped water distribution systems have less dead endings compared to branched water distribution systems, accumulation of sediments and bio lm formation is less likely (91). Thus, infections with ETEC via contaminated water coming from water pipelines with branched endings could be more likely, since ETEC are frequently recovered from bio lms in water pipes (90,92).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors associated with post-weaning diarrhoea in Austrian piglet-producing farms

Renzhammer

Vetter

Dolezal

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) is a frequent, multifactorial disease of piglets leading to increased mortality rates and high economic losses. Due to the emergence of multi-resistant Escherichia coli isolates and the ban of zinc oxide (ZnO) in the EU since June 2022, alternative measures to prevent PWD are urgently needed. While an abundance of feed supplements is described to prevent PWD, there are hardly any studies reflecting the current situation of PWD in the field. Thus, we aimed to identify differences in management practices, housing and feeding strategies between farms with PWD and farms without PWD. Data were personally collected using a semi-structured questionnaire in 257 Austrian piglet-producing farms. Farms with PWD in more than 10% of all weaned groups within twelve months prior to data collection were defined as case farms (n = 101). Data from 237 farms and 69 explanatory variables were analysed via penalized binary logistic regression using elastic-net in 100 different splits into randomly selected training- and test datasets (80:20). Treatment with ZnO and/or colistin (136 farms) was negatively associated with PWD in all splits and had the biggest estimated absolute log odds ratio out of all tested variables. Implementation of an all-in/all-out system in the nursery units and administration of probiotics or horseradish also had preventative effects in most splits (≥ 97%). A higher number of feeding phases for piglets within the first seven weeks of life and housing on fully slatted floors was associated negatively with the occurrence of PWD as well in > 95% of all splits. PWD was more likely to occur on farms having problems with neonatal diarrhoea or postpartum dysgalactia syndrome. While our data demonstrate that treatment with ZnO or colistin had the biggest statistical effect on PWD, we were able to identify other preventative measures like supplementation with probiotics or horseradish. Since implementation of all-in/all-out measures and fully slatted floors were also negatively associated with the occurrence of PWD on visited farms, we assume that reduction of bacterial load by the implementation of simple hygiene measures are still crucial to prevent PWD.

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“…The homogeneity and stability of the drug in medicated feed and medicated drinking water must be assured until the moment of intake by the animals. The residual concentrations or in other words the remaining concentrations of the antimicrobial drug in feed or water after the end of treatment, and the homogeneity and stability of medicated feed and medicated drinking water is likely to be influenced by a) the methods used for preparing, transporting, and storing medicated feed and drinking water [25], b) the materials used to construct the feed and drinking water pipelines and their design [26][27][28][29], c) the number of treatment days [7], d) the pharmaceutical formulation used [30,31], and e) the cleaning protocol of the pipelines [2]. Human errors when preparing and administering the medication may also occur if the medication is prepared at the farm instead of bought from a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-certified feed manufacturer [32,33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative risk assessment of homogeneity, stability, and residual concentrations of antimicrobials in medicated feed and drinking water in pig rearing

et al. 2023

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Background Despite the common use of oral group treatment in pig rearing, the magnitude of the factors influencing the homogeneity and stability of antimicrobial drugs in medicated feed and medicated drinking water are largely unknown, as well as the residual concentrations of the drugs after the end of the treatment. Results This study presents a qualitative risk assessment to estimate the magnitude of the risks for reduced homogeneity and stability, and increased residual concentrations of antimicrobial drugs in medicated feed and drinking water on the farm. Risk assessment was done using a questionnaire and farm visits (n = 52), combined with a second questionnaire, and concentrations of amoxicillin and doxycycline measured in medicated feed and water samples, each collected on 10 farms. For medicated feed, the duration of storage in the silo did not show to influence the concentration levels in a consistent trend, while the treatment duration had a low to negligible effect. A moderate to high risk was found caused by human error when preparing the medicated feed on the farm. Purchased medicated feed greatly reduces the risk of human error and drugs remain stable during the duration of treatment, while the risk of residual concentrations after the end of the treatment was estimated to be low to moderate. The feed intake variability was identified as a moderate to high risk factor. For medicated drinking water, the type of dosing pump, age of pre-solution, and human errors during the preparation of the pre-solution present a moderate to high risk on homogeneity and stability. Precipitation of the active substance in the absence of a stirrer in a drinking water tank was shown to be a low to moderate risk factor for residues after treatment. Waterline length had a weak correlation with the concentrations of the antimicrobials, while a moderate to high influence was detected for the water intake by the pigs. Conclusions A considerable variation in drug concentration in both medicated feed and medicated drinking water was detected depending on their preparation. Therefore, it is important to know which factors influence the homogeneity and stability, and the residual concentrations after treatment.

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Water Distribution Systems in Pig Farm Buildings: Critical Elements of Design and Management

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens—A Source of Zoonotic Pathogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety

Drinking Pipes and Nipple Drinkers in Pig Abattoir Lairage Pens—A Source of Zoonotic Pathogens as a Hazard to Meat Safety

Risk factors associated with post-weaning diarrhoea in Austrian piglet-producing farms

Qualitative risk assessment of homogeneity, stability, and residual concentrations of antimicrobials in medicated feed and drinking water in pig rearing

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