©2008. Karriker, L. * Iowa State University * Swine Medicine Section * Digital Archive Oral Fluids Collection: Cotton ropes can be used collect oral fluids.

©2008. Karriker, L. * Iowa State University * Swine Medicine Section * Digital Archive

Oral Fluids Collection: Cotton ropes can be used collect oral fluids to be used as a diagnostic specimen. Infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome

virus, swine influenza virus, or porcine circovirus type 2 can be detected in oral fluids. A specialized assay is used, be sure to check with the diagnostic laboratory for

submission details.


Euthanasia: Proper Captive Bolt Gun Placement

Draw a line from medial canthus of the eye to the medial side of opposite ear, repeat on other side.

Where the lines cross is the proper place (yellow circle) to place the bolt gun.

Be sure to have the end of the gun flat against the skull so that the barrel is perpendicular to the surface of the skull.

Proper placement should penetrate the brain and brainstem.

Ensure proper cartridge size


Captive bolt gun: Utilizes gun powder charges to a drive bolt through the brainstem for euthanasia.

130 milligrain charge adequate for most pigs

Traditional style captive bolt gun


Post-mortem sample collection technique for aseptically collecting joint fluid from both the stifle and hock

Step 1: Make a slit through the skin along

midline (not directly over the joints) and skin the leg all the way down past the

hock


Step 2, Stifle Samples:

Once skinned, locate the patella and then make

three deep slices with your knife around the stifle

It is important to make your cuts all the way to the

underlying bone Patella



Step 2 Images

Palpating the patella

Finishing making the 3rd cut



Step 3: Along the medial cut make sure you have

sliced down through all tissue layers to the

bone

Locate the patella and slide it laterally, thus

exposing the stifle joint without contaminating

it.

Patella pulled laterally with

muscle

Open stifle joint (note the presence of the patellar grove)



Step 4:

Collect sample from the joint by using a sterile syringe and a 20 g x 1”

needle



Step 5:

Make a tiny incision in the joint capsule to allow

access for a swab. Don’t stab into the joint. Use a new clean knife or sterile scalpel for this incision.

Use a sterile swab to obtain a sample for

culture.



Step 6 hock samples:

Use the most distal cut that was originally made for

the stifle sample to access the hock joint

Patella



Step 7:

Grab the belly of the transected muscle and pull it distally, taking your knife and cutting connective

tissue as you pull, exposing the hock joint

Post-mortem sample collection technique for aseptically collecting joint fluid from both

the stifle and hock


Step 8:At this point you should be able to visualize the hock joint and collect

samples without contaminating the joint.



Transfer samples to appropriate packaging and label with pig identifier.



This is a common method for restraining and bleeding pigs

that are too small for the snare method.


Vaccination schedule at a sow farms: Help to keep pre-farrowing vaccinations and feed adjustments on schedule even when employees most familiar with the process are

off for the day.


Posted treatment protocols: These are critical to getting consistent results and proper treatment over time. Without a consistent approach to treatment, response can not be

evaluated and refinements are tough to make.

Compounding is illegal: Mixtures often mask an underlying problem or risk factor that

needs to be corrected.


The blue device is checking for the amount of deterioration that has occurred to the nasal turbinates of the pig. The deeper the device is able to enter the turbinates, the greater degree of damage or loss of turbinate function has

occurred.


Needle-free injection system: when pressed firmly against the hide of an animal, automatically propels, via a pressurized system, a dose of treatment

through the skin and into muscle tissue.

Carbon-dioxide canister attaches here

Pressure gauge Injector


Needleless Injector System

Full user harness is beneficial when moving through open

pens or when injecting multiple crated animals

System without harness is beneficial when working in a

stationary location or farrowing room handling piglets

CO2 Cylinder

Pressure Amplifier


Needleless injector used for iron dextran injections in pre-weaning piglets

Note: All injections are only given in the neck muscle of

the piglet


Blood collection on mature swine

Hog snare is placed around the snout and behind the

incisors to restrain the animal

Vacutainer® blood collection system (similar

to human collection system)


Blood collection via ear swabbing

Collecting blood on a sterile, synthetic swab after puncturing the ear vein.

The blood collected on the swab can be stored in a falcon tube containing

sterile saline and then submitted to a

diagnostic lab. Samples collected

in this manner have substantial dx

limitations. Mainly used for daily

monitoring of boars during semen

collection


Proper location for administering TB antigen when testing swine


Back Fat Determination Using Real-time Ultrasound Technology

Probe is placed at the 10th or last rib

of the animal. The visual image of

the underlying fat and muscle is

saved and measured to

determine carcass traits of the animal


Biosecurity Tools and Equipment


Swine carcass incinerator: Diesel-fuel powered machine that

is used to reduce animal carcasses to ash. Use of

incinerators reduce site traffic and are thus more ideal for biosecurity

reasons.


Portable Swine Transfer Chute: Used to transfer swine directly between two semi trailers.

Bedding, usually sawdust, is used for increased traction

during transfer


Support boards to

allow human access to

transferring swine without

entering either vehicle.

Portable Swine Transfer Chute: Used to transfer swine directly between two semi trailers.


Trailer dryer: Drying is used to reduce the pathogen load present on the trailer after washing and disinfection.


Trailer wash bays

This trailer completed wash cycle, parked on clean side, and

on incline to drain water

Dirty trailers wait and enter wash bay from this

side only

Truck Wash Facility


Rendering Vehicle: This vehicle has recently emptied a disposal bin without transferring the contents completely and effectively into the holding

compartment on the truck. This creates a biosecurity concern, a safety risk for the driver and a public relations problem.


Farm cats and pigs don’t mix. Cats are not effective rodent control and can

spread disease to the pigs on the site


Bones from a deceased pig. The dead animal was not located in the pen of pigs and was consumed. This is illegal in most states, a biosecurity risk, and

poor welfare.


Individual Animal Identification Tools


Temporary swine identifiers/markers; examples of products that are

commonly used to identify pigs during treatment, handling, etc. Such marking devices can be found in several forms.


Ear notch identification system: a commonly used practice in purebred, replacement stock or small producer herds, that involves cutting notches in

piglet ears at an early age

Right designates litter number

Left designates pig number

3+3+1+81=88

1+1+3=5


Animals marked to indicate treatments or vaccinations have been administered

©2008. Karriker, L. * Iowa State University * Swine Medicine Section * Digital Archive Oral Fluids Collection: Cotton ropes can be used collect oral fluids.

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