Managing respiratory disease in finisher pigs: Combining quantitative assessments of clinical signs and the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter

This study aimed to assess the relationship between quantitative assessments of clinical signs respiratory disease (recorded manually and automatically) prevalence lung lesions at slaughter validate use both in management on farm. was an observational where pigs (n = 1573) were monitored from 25 ± 5.3 kg (week 12) 114 15.4 24). Pigs housed eight rooms divided into six pens a wean-to-finish A manual pen-based coughing (CF) sneezing (SF) frequency recorded weekly, for ten consecutive weeks, SOMO box (SoundTalks®) installed each room, issuing daily distress index (RDI) 13 weeks. Lungs individually scored pneumonia, scarring dorsocaudal (DC) cranial (CP) pleurisy slaughter. Relationship weekly RDI CF SF assessed using Spearman’s rank correlations multivariable linear logit-normal models. Both largely pen-specific, which fit presentation Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Results showed agreement (rs 0.5, P < 0.001), measuring higher levels beginning (weeks 13–14) end 21–24, weeks 21–22, respectively) finisher period. Positive associations found pneumonia week 21 22 (P 0.001 0.011, 21–24 > 0.70; 0.050); DC CP, 0.001); scar 17 0.013 0.004, respectively), 0.050). In earlier stage, but not reflected These findings highlight benefit including measurements complement post mortem findings, improve