Would you eat a sick feeder pig?

[Folly's place]

Actually I have no idea either; how about the Merck Manual website, your LA veterinarian, or a pork producers website? Mary

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I emailed one of the large animal vets here at Cornell, so hopefully I'll have a better answer for you when she responds to me!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Got an answer back from the large animal vet but didn't get a chance to post it, so I apologize for the delay.

She basically said that pig vaccines are fairly farm specific depending on the disease present at that farm. However, if these are the first pigs you will own, or you don't have any history/knowledge of the illnesses present on your farm or in the area, then the basic vaccines for backyard feeder pigs should at least include Erysipelas. Another commonly used one around here is for Leptospirosis, which I personally think is a good idea for people who let their pigs free range. Any pigs with access to wild animals or areas that wild animals urinate can be at risk for Lepto.

She also mentioned that circoviruses can cause wasting disease in feeder pigs, but it may be difficult to get smaller vials of that vaccine. She also mentioned some respiratory vaccines, but said if the pigs are already exposed to those pathogens, they may not respond to a vaccine.

The farm I visited on Sunday that raises organic pigs gives lepto, parvo, and erysipelas, but opts not to give rabies. In the state of NY, rabies has to be given by a vet and she just can't afford to do that. It's always a risk, but she seems to have had good luck doing it this way.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd put rabies vaccination at the top of the list; why chance it??? Mary

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

In this area, rabies just really isn't that common in pigs. Always a possibility, but surprisingly few farms give the vaccine, and it actually wasn't in any of the lists from the vets/farmers I talked to.