[Metrifonate-induced congenital tremor in piglets]

Congenital tremor was experimentally induced in pigs. Eight sows of the Comborough breed that had farrowed for the first time were used, having a good body condition and a liveweight of 115 to 120 kg. Other 96 sows of the same breed and body weight were used as controls. The test animals were given metrifonate orally in the prescribed therapeutic and prophylactic doses (50 mg/kg) four times during pregnancy. Both test and control sows were fed a standard mixture No 16 during pregnancy, and were vaccinated against swine fever, leptospirosis, Aujeszky's disease, and erysipelas. Congenital tremor was manifested in 42 out of 78 offsprings. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. The induced congenital tremor was manifested morphologically by varying hypoplasia of the cerebellum. 2. The use of organic phospohrous compounds for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes should be reduced during pregnancy. 3. The induced congenital tremor in pigs clinically and morphologically similar to the spontaneous congenital tremor in these animals described previously by the same authors.