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Artificial rearing of low birth-weight pigs Whiting, Richard John

Abstract

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate a crude immunoglobulin preparation fractionated from abattoir porcine serum with ammonium sulphate. The preparation was used as an additive to milk replacer for colostrum deprived, low birth-weight pigs reared in a non-isolated environment. Six pigs per treatment were used in experiments 1 and 3. Eight pigs per treatment were used in experiments 2 and 4. In the first experiment, members of the negative control group did not survive and mortality of the other three groups which received some immunity was high. In the second experiment, the negative control group was eliminated from the trial, so those receiving only colostrum for 12 hours died, but the two groups receiving immunoglobulin treatment showed improved survival (63, 50%). In the third experiment, higher levels of immunoglobulin (15g./kg. body weight, initially followed by 5g./kg/day) did not show a significant effect on survival in comparison with the previous levels of 10g./kg. to 2g./kg.. However, rate of gain in body weight was significantly higher in the high dose level of immunoglobulin. In the fourth experiment the pigs were maintained on immunoglobulin for 10, 15, and 21 days and it was found that 21 day treatment eliminated deaths. The highest rate of gain was achieved with those on 21 day treatment in experiment 4. However, these rates of gain were considerably below those achieved with Digs on the sow. The causes of mortality were predominately E. coli scours, septicaemia due to E. coli and other bacteria, pneumonia, and in the last two experiments, Salmonellosis. The prevention of death in experiment 4 by the immunoglobulin extract, indicated the success of the preparation against the Salmonella species encountered.

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