Vaccination versus antimicrobials to prevent Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy: associated costs and effects on piglets' growth, health, and serological performance.

Introduction: This study evaluated vaccination and prophylactic use of antimicrobials as strategies to prevent Porcine Proliferative Enteropathy (PPE) during nursery and growth-finishing phases.

Methods: Three hundred weaned piglets (~ 29 days old) were distributed into groups: NVMED - no vaccinated against but in-feed medicated with antimicrobials (amoxicillin, florfenicol, lincomycin, spectinomycin and tilmicosin); VMED - vaccinated and in-feed medicated; VNMED - vaccinated but no in-feed medicated. Piglets were vaccinated at weaning (Porcilis Ileitis, MSD Animal Health).

Removal or substitution of in feed antimicrobials in swine production.

Antimicrobial substitutes are being used in pig production systems, to maintain the health of the animals without compromising their performance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of either the removal of in feed antimicrobials or their substitution for feed additives, at the nursery and growing/finishing stages. At weaning, 1091 piglets were sexed, vaccinated, homogenized by weight and allocated to six treatments during the nursery stage (26-63 d): T1- feed with no antimicrobials nor additives; T2 - feed with antimicrobials; T3 - feed with prebiotic; T4 - feed with probiotic; T5 - feed with essential oils; T6 - feed with organic acids.