Emergency-culling and mortality in growing/fattening pigs in a large Hungarian "farrow-to-finish" production unit

The trial was carried out in a large Hungarian 2000 sow "farrow-to-finish" production unit. Out of a total number of 15,841 evaluated growing/finishing pigs, 1319 pigs died or were emergency-culled and were post-mortem routinely examined. For the purpose of this study the emergency-culling and mortality were recorded into the same category. The average annual emergency-culling/mortality rate was unusual high (8.62%). Five body condition related categories were registered. The majority of the mortality comprised animals of body condition "below average", representing 891 pigs (67.56%) and "average" (407 pigs = 30.85%). The rest of the examined animals comprised 17 pigs (1.29%) "emitted", 2 pigs "kachexia" (stunted pig) or "fat" (0.15% each). The overall study showed that gastrointestinal tract disorders (395 animals = 29.95%) were the most frequently recorded cause of emergency-culling or mortality. Both inflammatory disorders (7.66%) and rectal stricture (7.51%) were in this category the most frequent diagnosis followed by rectal prolapse (5.92%). Gastric ulcers comprised 4.55% of the necropsied animals. Torsion of abdominal organs and miscellaneous cases represented slightly more than 2% of the post-mortem examined pigs. Lesions which involved the respiratory system, comprised 14.85% of the necropsied pigs. Bronchopneumonia due to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae occurred in 5.61%, embolic suppurative or necrotic pneumonia in 4.78% and pleuropneumonia due to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in 3.1% of the cases. Diseases involving the urinary system were diagnosed in 21 cases (1.59%). Five cases of skin disorders were registered (0.38%). Cardiovascular disorders were represented by congestive heart failure (31 pigs = 2.35%), pericarditis (22 animals = 1.66%) or endocarditis (21 pigs = 1.60%). Cardiomyopathy was found in 15 (1.2%) animals. Lesions involved the locomotor system ranked second of all cases (15.92%). Claw lesions accounted 13.72%, arthritis 2.13% of the animals and luxation or fracture was diagnosed only in one case (0.07%). Systemic infections were reported in 96 cases (7.28%) including polyserositis (4.09%), erysipelas, edema disease or miscellaneous causes (each category slightly more than 1%). Genetic problems were involved in 8.19% of the fatal cases and social stress or cannibalism related culling or mortality comprised 37 animals (2.81%). In 161 cases (12.20%) of the mortality the causes of death were not established. Two or more lesions related to culling or mortality were found in 320 pigs (24.26%, p < 0.001). The most common diagnosed pathologic changes in association with other lesions were Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae caused bronchopneumonia (4.09%), embolic suppurative or necrotic pneumonia (4.55%), followed by inflammatory gastrointestinal problems (3.10%), gastric ulcer (2.35%), claw lesions (2.19%) and arthritis (1.14%). It appears from the presented study that a routine post-mortem examination of all emergency-culled or dead pigs over a long period of time gives a clear picture of causes of mortality enabling the management to plan management strategies as vaccination programs, genetic improvements and optimising environmental conditions.