Field evaluation of efficacy and tolerance of a 2% marbofloxacin injectable solution for the treatment of respiratory disease in fattening pigs

In a controlled and randomized field trial carried out in three European co untries, 219 fattening pigs, from seven farms with respiratory disease prob lems, were treated intramuscularly for three or five days either with marbo floxacin 2 mg/kg/day, or with amoxicillin 7 mg/kg/day, Pigs were monitored daily until D5 (Day 5) and again at D21, and were weighed at D0 and D21, Pa steurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, and Mycoplasma hyopne umoniae were mainly identified in the pig lungs, The difference in the cure rate (74.5% in marbofloxacin group versus 68% in the amoxicillin group) wa s not significant. Mean rectal temperature was significantly lower after tr eatment with marbofloxacin, Other criteria tended to be favourable for the marbofloxacin group, although differences were not significant. The time to cure tended to be shorter for the marbofloxacin group (24.3% of pigs at 24 hours post-treatment versus 12.1% in the amoxicillin group), Marbofloxacin and amoxicillin relapse rates were 11.9% and 17.2% respectively (not signi ficant) and daily weight gain was 746 g in the marbofloxacin group versus 6 87 g in the amoxicillin group (not significant), The 2% marbofloxacin solut ion was significantly better tolerated than amoxicillin.