INTEGRATED QUALITY-CONTROL PROJECT - INTRODUCTION TO A FARM VISIT PROTOCOL FOR GROWING AND FINISHING PIGS

A protocol for veterinary herd-health management is proposed to suppor t veterinary surgeons at their work with growing and finishing pig her ds. The protocol is divided into preparation for the herd visit, anamn esis, selection of priority items, clinical investigation, planning, a nd evaluation. To prepare the visit the veterinary surgeon needs techn ical, medical transport and mortality data, zootechnical observations, and clinical observations made by the farmer. From these data, monthl y performance figures can be calculated. The mean of the three best mo nthly averages of these figures over the past 12 months can serve as t arget value for the herd. Recent performance figures that deviate from target values are analysed and calculated for groups of pigs in a her d. Groups can be sorted for breeding stocks, for compartments, for pen s, for sex, or for age. Performance figures that deviate from target v alues pinpoint the main goals of the farm visit. After the anamnesis a t the farm, the veterinary surgeon decides which groups of pigs have t o be clinically examined. He or she then defines further steps for dia gnostic research and/or treatment of herd-health problems.