[Anaerobic dysentery in pigs]

Anaerobic dysentery (necrotic enteritis) of sucking pigs was demonstrated on an industrial swine-breeding farm. The disease was found to be caused by Clostridium perfringens, type C, and attacked up to 3 per cent of all sucking pigs at the age of 1 to 5 days, mortality rate ranging as high as 50 per cent. Outbreaks were recorded only in boxes fixed on the floor of the premise itself. The control of the disease made use of complex measures, including washing of sows with disinfection solution prior to their accomodation in the farrowing unit, strict observation of the principle 'all in, all out', feeding medicated premixes to the sows, improved hygiene on the premise, vaccination of the sows with an antiperfringens vaccine, and oral treatment of the diseased pigs prior to sucking with a specific hyperimmune antitoxic serum as well as using broad-spectrum antibiotics, spectinomycin, and pharmazin. With all measures applied the disease was fully suppressed.