Efficacy of simultaneous vaccination with Enterisol® Ileitis and Ingelvac® CircoFLEXTM in a Swiss breeding farm

This study explores administration of two piglet vaccines as compared to the mono- and adjuvant-application. A vaccine against the Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) cap protein subunit and a vaccine with attenuated live culture against Lawsonia (L.) intracellularis were applied to piglets aged 23.5 days on average. 1'405 animals were divided randomly into four groups. One piglet group was immunized with both vaccines while two other groups were immunized with a combination of one vaccine and adjuvants of alternate vaccination protocol and vice versa. These piglet groups were also compared to a control group supplemented with both adjuvants only. During fattening, pigs, which were simultaneously immunized with Enterisol(®) Ileitis and Ingelvac(®) CircoFLEX(TM) vaccine, gained significantly more weight (792 g/day) when compared to piglet groups mono-vaccinated with Ingelvac® CircoFLEXTM (772 g/day) or either with Enterisol® Ileitis (774 g/day). Moreover, immunized piglet groups showed significantly higher daily weight gain when compared to adjuvants only inoculated control group (751 g/day). Additionally, during fattening the control group displayed higher mortality (6,3 %) than the three vaccinated groups (Ingelvac(®) CircoFLEX(TM) 2,5 %, Enterisol(®) Ileitis 2,3 % and the combination of both vaccines 1,1 %). These data imply that simultaneous immunization with PCV2- and L. intracellularis specific vaccines positively benefit piglet growth observed by an additive effect on growth parameters in farms harboring both pathogens. Return of investment was calculated of 2.10 on the additional Enterisol(®) Ileitis vaccination.