[Vulvar discharge before parturition and a risk factor for postpartum diseases of the sow and for early postnatal piglet losses]. / Scheidenausfluss ante partum als Risikofaktor für postpartale Erkrankungen der Sau und frühpostnatale Ferkelverluste.

Periparturient biotechniques with prednisolon are widely used in Europe for the prevention of perinatal losses in intensive pig production. However, the routinely applied 100 mg prednisolon on the 113th day of pregnancy to the sow are not without controversy. In four intensive pig production units altogether 2143 sows treated thus were subjected to the evaluation of the following parameters: A: the presence or absence of vulvar discharge at the 110th day of pregnancy B: postparturient disease of the sow C: early postnatal piglet losses The results showed that the sows having prepartal vulvar discharge developed after prednisolon application significantly (p < 0.001) higher incidence of postparturient disease (20.5% versus 9.3%) when compared to the sows having no prepartal vulvar discharge. The early postnatal losses were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in sows having prepartal vulvar discharge and consecutive postparturient disease when compared to the healthy sows. It is the opinion of the authors that prepartal biotechnique with prednisolon (in order to reduce perinatal losses) in sows showing the signs of prepartal vulvar discharge is contraindicated.

[Management of E. coli dependent factorial diseases in weaning piglets]. / Management der E. coli-bedingten Faktorenkrankheiten nach dem Absetzen der Ferkel.

The most important postweaning factorial diseases are at least partly caused by E. coli. The term postweaning coli complex can be subcategorized into the following manifestations: postweaning diarrhoea, edema disease, postweaning wasting and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. In the presented study the effect of prophylactic zootechnique alone and zoo- and biotechnique in combination was evaluated during the first weeks postweaning. The results showed that combined zoo- and biotechnique is superior to simple zootechnique regarding food conversion (1.41 kg versus 1.73 kg), average daily weight gain (390 g versus 325 g) and postweaning piglet mortality (3.1% versus 4.9%). It is the opinion of the authors that combined postweaning zoo- and biotechnique should be performed in such pig production units where ETEC and/or SLTEC are present.

[The effect of timing of labor induction on the occurrence of congenital myofibrillar hypoplasia--short clinical report]. / Der Einfluss des Zeitpunktes der Partusinduktion auf das Auftreten der kongenitalen myofibrillären Hypoplasie--Kurzbericht aus der Praxis.

In an intensive pig production unit with routinely performed prostaglandin partus induction four groups of sows were formed shortly before parturition. The animals received 3 mg alfaprostol as a single intramuscular injection each. The sows of group 1 on the 112th, those of group 2 on the 113th and the animals of group 3 on the 114th day of pregnancy. Group 4 sows were not treated and formed the control group. We evaluated the number of live born piglets and the number of piglets born with congenital myofibrillar hypoplasia. The results showed no significant difference regarding live born piglets. As regards congenital myofibrillar hypoplasia the sows with early partus induction (group 1) showed significant higher incidence when compared to the other groups. It is likely that in cases of partus induction before the 113th day of pregnancy the fetus is still insufficiently protected by natural maturation, adaptation and tolerance ability against such congenital condition as CMH. Therefore it is the opinion of the authors that partus induction before the 113th day of pregnancy should not be performed.

[The peripartal disease complex of the sow in the industrial swine breeding facility. 4. The effect of prophylactic oral medication on the occurrence of the peripartal disease complex of the sow with the symptoms of urinary tract infection and vaginal-vulvar discharge]. / Bericht über den peripartalen Krankheitskomplex der Muttersau in der industriellen Schweinezucht. 4. Mitteilung: Die Auswirkungen der prophylaktischen oralen Medikamentengabe auf das Auftreten des peripartalen Krankheitskomplexes der Muttersau mit der Anamnese von urinary tract infection (UTI) und vaginal-vulvalem Ausfluss (vaginal-vulvar discharge [VD]).

In an industrial pig production unit 20 sows were selected at random. All the sows had a puerperal disease in their anamnesis. The sows were divided in two groups consisting of ten sows each. Group 1 received Ampicillin per os (3 g per sow and day) four days a.p. and four days p.p. The majority of the sows showed a significant E. coli bacteriuria and non of the sows showed a significant Enterococcus bacteriuria prior to treatment. The development of puerperal disease was registered. The treated group showed less occurrence of disease compared to the control. Group 1 revealed significant (p < 0.05) less early postnatal losses than the untreated control. Group 1 showed better four weeks weaning weights as well. It is the authors opinion that sows having significant bacteriuria a.p. should be treated a.p. and p.p. before periparturient disease occurs.

[The peripartal disease complex of the mother sow in the industrial swine facility. 3. Slaughter findings of old sows with anamnesis of peripartal diseases]. / Bericht über den peripartalen Krankheitskomplex der Muttersau in der industriellen Schweinezucht. 3. Mitteilung: Schlachtbefunde von Altsauen mit der Anamnese von peripartalen Erkrankungen.

In an industrial pig production unit ten sows were selected at random. All the sows had a puerperal disease in their anamnesis. The sows were slaughtered after weaning and subjected to pathological examination. The mammary glands, uteri and bladder of ten slaughtered sows were examined for gross pathological alterations. All the sows showed symptoms of chronic mastitis (abscess, granuloma, fibrosis or cysts). Four of the examined uteri showed pathological alterations. Nine out of the ten bladders examined revealed pathological findings.

[The peripartum disease complex of the sow in commercial swine breeding. 2. The effect of prepartum bacteriuria on the peripartum and postpartum occurrence of puerperal diseases in the sow with anamnesis of urinary tract infection and vaginal-vulvar discharge]. / Bericht über den peripartalen Krankheitskomplex der Muttersau in der industriellen Schweinezucht. 2. Mitteilung: Der Einfluss der präpartalen Bakteriurie auf das peri- bzw. postpartale Auftreten von Puerperalerkrankungen bei der Muttersau mit der Anamnese von urinary tract infection (UTI) und vaginal-vulvar discharge (VD).

In an industrial pig production unit ten sows were selected at random. All the sows had puerperal disease in their anamnesis and all of them revealed at the time of selection--during their late pregnancy--urinary tract infection (UTI) and vaginal-vulvar discharge (VD) and most of them had significant bacteriuria a.p. All the sows were evaluated using Bilkei's MMA early detection system. The majority of the sows which have had significant bacteriuria a.p. developed a puerperal disease.

[The peripartum disease complex of the sow in industrial swine breeds. 1. Peripartum course of bacteriuria of sows with vaginal-vulvar discharge in a modern swine breeding facility]. / Bericht über den peripartalen Krankheitskomplex der Muttersau in der industriellen Schweinezucht. 1. Mitteilung: Peripartaler Verlauf der Bakteriurie der Sauen mit vaginal-vulvalem Ausfluss in einem modernen Schweinezuchtbetrieb.

In an industrial pig production unit ten sows were selected at random. All the sows had puerperal disease in their anamnesis and all of them revealed at the time of selection--during their late pregnancy--Urinary Tract Infection (UT)I and vaginal-vulvar discharge (VD). Mid-stream early morning urine samples were collected during four days ante partum and during four days post partum. The samples were semiquantitatively examined for E. coli and gram positive cocci. Three sows showed ante partum non significant bacteriuria which turned into significant bacteriuria post partum. The majority of the reminding sows revealed a significant bacteriuria during the whole period of examination.

Two-dimensional DNA-fingerprinting in animals.

DNA-fingerprinting has become, during the last five years, an important method of genetic analysis in medicine, veterinary medicine and other disciplines. The power of this technique, especially for genetic linkage analysis, may be enhanced in humans by using the two dimensional DNA-fingerprinting method. Here we show that this procedure can successfully be applied to different animal species, e.g. pig, dog and mouse. Optimal conditions, however, have to be determined for each species tested. With the use of marker systems as well as computer programs it will be possible to evaluate complex two-dimensional spot patterns in a short time and with high reliability.