ABSTRACT
The therapeutic value of Florfenicol feed supplemented was evaluated in conventional pigs to eliminate consequences of chronic infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. The experimental animals were pigs with an average of 16 kg, after intratracheally inoculation with M. hyopneumoniae they were divided in two experimental groups: (a) the non-medicated; and (b) the feed supplemented group (20 g Florfenicol/ton of feed) during the ensuing 35 days. The average daily weight gain of the Florfenicol-treated pigs (0.33±0.14 kg/day) was significantly higher than that of the non-treated ones (0.21±0.10 kg/day). In medicated animals was still impaired relative to that of the uninfected ones control group (0.39±0.02 kg/day). The average percentage of pneumonic gross lesions extensions' of the pigs groups was: 13.99% for M. hyopneumoniae infected non-medicated group; 1.79% M. hyopneumoniae infected, Florfenicol-treated group and, 0.56% of the uninfected control group. M. hyopneumoniae; colonization was detected at these levels in 7 and 9 members of the respective infected groups. The extent of the pneumonic lesions and M. hyopneumoniae generally was greater in the non-medicated pigs. Therefore, oral administration of Florfenicol via feed ingestion seemed to be somewhat effective in ameliorating the clinical effects of M. hyopneumoniae infection of swine.