The influence of prepartal bacteriuria on the reproductive performance of the sow

In a Slowakian indoor pig production unit, with high prevalence of vaginal-vulval discharges, the sows were subjected one day prefarrowing to urine analysis. Sows suffering urinary tract infection (UTI) were assigned to an UTI group (group 1, n = 384), the remaining sows were classified as free of UTI and were assigned to group 2 (n = 1099). Total born litter size, liveborn litter size, weaning litter size and the occurrence of periparturient diseases, reasons for sow cullings at weaning, subsequent weaning to estrus intervals, conceptions- and farrowing rate, next total born- and lifeborn litter size and the occurrence of periparturient diseases were evaluated. UTI having sows had smaller (p < 0.05) total born litter size (11.71 +/- 1.11) when compared to the healthy animals (12.97 +/- 1.25). Liveborn litter size was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in group 1 (10.21 +/- 0.81 vs. group 2: 11.31 +/- 1.21). The occurrence of periparturient diseases revealed highly significant (p < 0.001) differences between the groups (group one 26.24% vs. group two 4.64%). Weaning litter size showed significant (p < 0.05) differences between group 1 (9.21 +/- 1.02) and 2 (10.11 +/- 0.37). More (p < 0.05) sows were culled post-weaning in the UTI group, compared to the healthy animals. Causes of post-weaning cullings differed between the groups: all sows of the group one had the pathological signs of swine urogenital disease at culling, while the majority of sows of the group 2 were culled due to locomotor problems and chronic mastitis. Subsequent weaning to estrus intervals, conceptions-, and farrowing rate and next total born litter size differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the groups, next lifeborn litter size (p < 0.01) and the occurrence of periparturient diseases (p < 0.001) were high significantly better in the healthy than in the UTI suffering group of sows.

antepartal UTI might be the sign of swine urogenital disease and might negatively influence the sows reproductive performance.