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VACCINES -PIGS

Note for Farmers:

This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your stock are ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your animals.

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Description
Vaccines provide animals with protection against serious infectious diseases or toxins. They can work in several ways :

  • Passive Immunity - antiserum (ready-made antibodies) is injected into the animal to immediately attack the infection. Immunity of this type is only short-acting as long as the antibodies are active in the blood, usually 3-12 weeks. An example of this type of vaccine is antiserum against Clostridium perfringens
  • Active Immunity - injecting live or inactivated organisms (or fragments of the organism, or inactivated toxins) into an animal stimulates the animals immune system to produce antibodies against the infectious agent or toxin in the vaccine. Most pig vaccines are of this type and they are used against bacteria, viruses or parasites. Protection generally lasts longer with live vaccines than with killed vaccines 

Interference with the development of immunity following vaccination can occur in certain circumstances :

Pig Vaccines Available in the UK

Pigs in the UK can be vaccinated against :

  • Atrophic rhinitis - due to Bordatella and Pasteurella
  • Aujesky's disease
  • Clostridial infections (causes of several important diseases : and  tetanus
  • Erysipelas
  • Escherichia coli (a bacterial infection)
  • Mycoplasma
  • Parvovirus
  • Pasteurella (a bacterial infection)
  • Porcine Pneumonia - Mycoplasma, Pasteurella and Actinobacillus (Haemophilus)
  • Salmonella (a bacterial infection)
  • Toxoplasmosis (causes abortion)

Vaccines can either be given individually or in combination together.

Details of individual vaccinations can be found by referring to each disease information sheet. 

Contraindications
Pigs should not be vaccinated if they  :

  • Are not well
  • Have a high body temperature
  • Are within 6 weeks of having been given corticosteroids or other drugs that can reduce the immune response
  • Have been treated with antibiotics which might affect the live organisms in a vaccine
  • Are stressed

Side Effects
There are a number of side-effects that may be seen following vaccination, including the following :

  • The organisms in live vaccines can sometimes cause mild signs of the disease and they can be transferred to other animals in a herd and cause mild signs of disease in them as well
  • Live vaccines may damage the fetus in pregnant animals, so they should not be used in pregnant animals if a killed vaccine is available.
  • Some live vaccines can result in a long term "latent" infection which may affect blood tests and have implications on the future movement of animals
  • Vaccines can cause a local reaction and irritation at the site of injection
  • Hair loss, and sometimes a change of hair or skin  colour can occur at the injection site
  • If the vaccine is administered by injection without cleaning the skin surface infection may be introduced into the site resulting in abscess formation
  • Rarely an individual animal may show a severe shock (anaphylactic) reaction following vaccination. Prompt veterinary attention is needed or the animals life can be at risk.

Storage
Vaccines will lose their potency if they are not stored properly. They should be stored as specified by the manufacturers, and usually this will require storage in a refrigerator at 2-8o C. Most vaccines should not be frozen, and they should not be allowed to come into contact with direct sunlight, or disinfectants.

Administration
Vaccines can be administered by various routes, but subcutaneous or intramuscular injection is the most common route. The intranasal route is used for some vaccines against respiratory diseases. Scarification is used for some vaccines against skin infections and administration by mouth is possible for some vaccines.

The skin at the injection site should be cleaned and wiped with spirit, and sterile syringes and needles should always be used . Repeated use of the same needle increases the risk of transmission of disease between animals and should be discouraged.

Health and Safety Considerations
All sharps used in the vaccination process (glass vials, needles etc) should be placed into an approved sharps box, and be disposed of by an approved method.

Vaccines should be handled with care, and every precaution should be taken to avoid accidental injection of the person administering the vaccine, or an assistant restraining the animal.

Vaccines that are oil-based cause a severe, painful swelling if self-injected and they can result in loss of a finger due to reduced blood supply caused by the vaccine.

Some live vaccines are potential harmful to people, for example toxoplasmosis vaccine should not be handled by pregnant women, young fertile women, or people with poor immune systems. Protective gloves and eye goggles should be worn when handling these vaccines.

 

Frequency of Administration
 The frequency of administration of vaccines depends on several factors including the following :

  • the type of vaccine
  • the age of the animal
  • the circumstances under which the vaccine is being given, and 
  • the route of administration. 

The following table gives a list of Pig vaccines available in the UK, but individual recommendations may change from time to time, so veterinary advice should always be sought.

Vaccine Against Type of vaccine and route of administration Vaccination Protocol
Atrophic Rhinitis - caused by the bacteria Bordatella bronchiseptica and Pasteurella multocida Inactivated vaccines given by injection Piglets are best protected by vaccinating sows and gilts so that the piglets get passive immunity from the colostrum (first milk)

In adults 2 doses are given with an interval of 6 weeks between them.

Booster vaccines should be given during each pregnancy and the best timing is less than 150 days before farrowing and ideally 6-2 weeks before farrowing.
Aujesky's Disease - caused by a herpesvirus resulting in respiratory, reproductive and neurological signs Live vaccine (Licensed for use in Northern Ireland only) given by injection In piglets 2 doses are given - the first at 8 weeks of age, the second 3-4 weeks later.

In adults a third dose is given 2 weeks before mating (females) or at 6 months of age (boars).

Booster doses are given at least every 6 months.
Clostridial (bacterial) infections - cause several important diseases including : liver disease, diarrhoea  (enteritis) and tetanus Mixed killed Clostridial vaccines by injection 

Antitoxins - give passive protection which lasts for only 3-4 weeks

Two doses are given with an interval of 3 weeks between them.

Pregnant sows are initially vaccinated 6 and 3 weeks before farrowing

Yearly booster vaccinations are given between 3 and 6 weeks before farrowing
E.Coli , Clostridium and Salmonella - bacterial infections that cause diarrhoea (scours or enteritis)

Zoonoses

 Inactivated vaccines containing toxoids, cellular fragments or both and are given by mouth or by injection. 

Combined vaccines are available

Piglets are best protected by vaccinating sows and gilts at least 2-4 weeks before farrowing so the piglets gain passive immunity from the colostrum (first milk).

Vaccination should not be given in the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy.(check the manufacturers recommendations)

Booster vaccination may be needed every 6 months and at 2-3 weeks before farrowing.

 
Erysipelas - a bacterial infection (Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae) that causes arthritis, heart disease and septicaemia Inactivated vaccine given by injection. In adult pigs 2 doses are given with an interval of 2-4 weeks between them, timed so that the second dose is given to pregnant sows 3 weeks before farrowing EXCEPT for vaccines which are contraindicated in pregnant animals.

Booster vaccinations are given every 6-12 months, 3 weeks before farrowing.

Piglets from unvaccinated sows can be vaccinated at 7 days of age with a second dose being given after 2-4 weeks.

Piglets from vaccinated sows can be vaccinated from 8 weeks of age with a second dose being given after 2 weeks.
Mycoplasma - the organism Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes pneumonia  Inactivated vaccines given by injection Piglets - 2 doses, the first vaccine is given  as early as possible from 1-10 weeks age and the second is given 2-4 weeks later.
Pasteurella - cause pneumonia and pleurisy Inactivated vaccines given by injection 2 doses are given with an interval of 3-4 weeks between them.

Booster vaccinations are given every 6-12 months
Porcine Parvovirus. - a virus that causes infertility, stillbirths and abortion Inactivated vaccines given by injection Pigs can be vaccinated from 6 months of age, and 2 doses are given - the first at least 2 weeks before mating, the second after farrowing and before the next mating.

Boars are vaccinated at 6 months of age and again 6 months later.

Yearly booster vaccinations are advised.
Porcine Pleuropneumoniae - causes pneumonia and is due to an organism called  Actinobacillus pleuropneumoiniae (also called Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae) Inactivated vaccines given by injection Piglets can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age.

2 doses are given to growing pigs with an interval of 2 weeks between them timed so that the second vaccine is given at least 3 weeks before a high risk period.
Porcine Pneumonia - caused by Mycoplasma, Pasteurella or Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) Combined vaccines are available - given by injection See individual vaccines

Withdrawal Periods
 Pigs can not be sent for slaughter and for human consumption after the administration of some medications. Vaccines usually have a withdrawal period of nil for slaughter.