Project Overview
Disease management can be a challenge for organic swine producers. Unlike conventional producers, organic producers cannot manage disease via chemical prophylaxis (the use of preventative antibiotics or synthetic parasiticides), relying instead upon natural preventative management practices (i.e., rotational grazing, nutrition, and maintaining hygienic environments).
Several intestinal parasites, including large roundworms (Ascaris suum), whipworms (Trichuris suis), and nodular worms (Oesophagostomum spp.) pose significant risks to organic pig production and can be transmitted to swine in a number of ways, including via contaminated soils or bedding. Understanding where these parasites tend to thrive, or where they may be most prevalent on a farm is an important first-step in mitigating their transmission to swine in organic production systems.
In this study, researchers in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa assessed the prevalence of large roundworms, whipworms, and nodular worms on certified-organic and organically-managed (‘alternative’) pig farms. They evaluated parasite incidence in pasture soils, bedding, and fecal matter in order to better understand how these high-risk parasites are transmitted.
Farmer Takeaways
- Intestinal parasites are common in certified-organic and alternative pig farms; in this study, parasites were present in >67% of fecal samples.
- Large roundworms were the most common parasite, present at eight of the nine evaluated farms.
- The prevalence, abundance, and intensity of large roundworm and whipworm infection were higher in pigs at the growing and finishing production stages than in the breeding production stage.
- Bedding contained higher levels of parasite eggs than pasture soils.
Project Objectives and Approach
Measure the presence and abundance of three common intestinal parasites in certified-organic and organically-managed pig farms across the Midwest and Northeast/Mid-Atlantic
- Researchers visited a total of nine certified-organic or organically-managed (‘alternative’) pig farms in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania to measure the presence/abundance of large roundworms, whipworms, and nodular worms. Samples were collected from three sources: (1) fecal matter, (2) pasture soil, and (3) bedding.
- At each farm, fecal samples were collected from every enclosure in order to assess parasite infection across pigs from three production stages: growing, finishing, and breeding.
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- For farms with 70 or more pigs, fecal matter from at least four pigs per enclosure were sampled, totaling 16-37 pigs per farm.
- For farms with fewer than 70 pigs, fecal matter from every pig per enclosure was sampled.
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- Pasture soil samples from five of the nine farms were collected (to a depth of 5cm) and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
- Bedded pens were assessed and divided into three distinct zones: resting (clean and dry with minimal contact with urine and/or feces), latrine (wet and heavily contaminated with urine and/or feces), and intermediate (the area between the resting and latrine zones). Straw bedding samples were collected from each zone by grabbing a handful of bedding at least 1.5cm deep every few steps along a ‘W’-shaped transect. Samples were labeled, stored, and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Key Findings
Intestinal parasites are common across certified-organic and organically-managed pig farms
- Intestinal parasites were present in fecal samples from all nine farms. Of the 186 total fecal samples, 125 contained eggs for at least one type of intestinal parasite.
- Large roundworms (Ascaris suum) were the most common parasite, present at eight of the nine farms and in over 50% and 90% of the fecal samples infected with one and two parasite types, respectively.
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- Nodular worms (Oesophagostomum spp.) were present in five of the nine farms, and whipworms (Trichuris suis) were present in four.
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Intestinal parasite levels differed across pig production stage and bedding materials
- The prevalence* and intensity** of large roundworm and whipworm infections were higher in pigs at the growing and finishing production stages, and lower in sows. These findings suggest that pigs at certain production stages, including the growing and finishing stages, may be at a higher-risk for infection via intestinal parasites than at other production stages (i.e., breeding).
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- *Prevalence: the % of pigs with infected fecal matter
- **Intensity of Infection: the number of parasite eggs per gram of fecal matter
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- In general, bedding contained higher levels of parasite eggs than pasture soils.
- Within bedded pens, parasite eggs were numerically higher in the intermediate and latrine zones relative to the resting zones, but there were no statistical differences.
Resources
Hernandez, A. D., Li, Y., Carr, R., & Major, S. (2023). Intestinal roundworm infection in organic and alternative swine farms in the USA. Veterinary Parasitology, 314, 109856.
Read MoreLocation
Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, WisconsinCollaborators
Yuzhi Li, University of Minnesota
Rick Carr, Rodale Institute
Sara Major, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Region
Midwest, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic
Topic
Livestock Well-Being
Year Published
2023
