Experiences with vaccination against Haemophilus pleuropneumonia of swine

: In a Haemophilus pleuropneumonia problem herd with piglet production and fattening, sows and weaned pigs were vaccinated with a Danish vaccine (Pleurinord). Due to consequent vaccination of the sows the health of the piglets could be improved decisively, resulting in an increased number of raised piglets per sow and year from 16.8 to 20.3. In the vaccinated fattening pigs compared to the unvaccinated ones the following effects were observed: markedly reduced expenses for medication and a markedly reduced frequency of characteristic lesions in the respiratory tract; the improvement of the daily weight gains and the reduction of losses remained behind the expectations. Decisive causes for this were respiratory and enteric diseases unrelated to Haemophilus, which were favoured by serious mismanagement and inadequacies in the feeding regimen and barn climate. On the example of the vaccinated herd it is shown how important the analysis of a multifactorial disease situation is, in order to be able to objectify better or at all the influence of a vaccination program under field conditions. Within a concept of prevention and control of Haemophilus pleuropneumonia the vaccination is a helpful part.