The biggest veterinary problem of pigs is respiratory diseases. They are prevalent in general pathology and reach 30 % and more in different countries. The diseases of infectious etiology are the most common and the most wasteful; they decrease the profitability of pig production.

The main infectious diseases of respiratory system are diseases caused by:

- viruses – Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), circovirus (PCV2), Aujeszky's disease, respiratory coronavirus;

- bacteria – Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App), Poliserositis haemophilosis (Glasser’s disease), Infectious Atrophic Rhinitis, Streptococcal infection;

- mycoplasma – M. hyopneumoniae.

The difficulty to control and to prevent respiratory diseases is caused by associate state of diseases, when at a farm there are several pathogens that success each other. Under such circumstances high death and culling rates are observed along with a considerable percentage of slowly gaining weight animals and increased expenses for medicines and feeds. It results in considerable loss of profit in growing – fattening units.

For preventing and early detection of porcine respiratory diseases complex an expert approach is needed to pigs batching and constant control of the at farm situation.

Vitaliy Piotrovych, PhD veterinary science, independent consultant in veterinary

You can read more in magazine publication “Profitable pig production” № 2, December 2010 р.